The Way Home
by Wutif
Summary: Blaine had freely shared that he was gay at Dalton, never thinking his parents would find out. They did, so now he was living in the park, hungry and homeless, until he met some guys having lunch in the park while he was busking. When Burt saw the kid, he knew he had to help somehow. Homeless!Blaine. Rating changed to a soft M to relfect sexual situations and occasional swearing.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm sorry that this first part is painful, but it is reality for far too many young people. If you have the resources, please support shelters for homeless youth in your community, so they don't have to turn to illegal and dangerous methods to support themselves.

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Ch 1

Blaine sat in a squat with his arms around his knees with his back against the building, trying not to let his ass touch the damp ground and get his pants wet on top of everything else. He was tired from shivering all day, the bone deep damp having penetrated through his clothes after hours in the cold drizzle, even though he was trying to stay dry under the shelter of the eaves of the building. He didn't have any idea of the name of the anonymous restaurant. God knows, all the dumpsters in this alley had the same rank smell. He wondered tiredly where the hell he was going to sleep tonight. He couldn't risk his guitar getting wet while the sky kept leaking tears the way it was.

That guitar was his only hope of getting some money for tomorrow's dinner and the day it got ruined or the strings gave up the ghost he was screwed, since there were no shelters for homeless youth in this hell hole of a town. For the last four days he had been sleeping in the park under the picnic shelter, which was drafty and chilly, but at least it wasn't on the damp ground. So far, he'd had no luck scavenging a meal from one of the restaurants in the commercial area of town. Normally he would have set up his guitar case in front of him on the sidewalk and sung some tunes, hoping for a few coins or even a bill or two, but the wind and rain were keeping people indoors tonight.

It was getting dark already, the lowering clouds making it seem much later. The spring days were getting longer and warmer but occasionally, like tonight, there was still a nip in the air to remind you it was barely June.

The restaurant door crashed open, startling Blaine and making him duck down in the gloom, hoping whoever it was wouldn't notice him and chase him away. He needn't have worried. The elderly oriental man struggling with his heavy load of cardboard wasn't paying any attention to the dim alleyway. He made his way to the dumpster and with a visible pause while he gathered the pile to his lap, then with a mighty heave, flung it into the bin. He wiped his hands together, mentally congratulating himself and returned into the building. This must be Wong's Chow then, Blaine decided, the Chinese place.

An idea struck Blaine, making him warily approach the dumpster after a glance around to make sure nobody was around. Luckily, the boxes had been folded into a tidy pile instead of being cut into pieces, which meant they would still be functional. None of them were big enough on their own, but there were three that could be stuck one inside the other in a row to provide some shelter from the damp and cold.

He took hold of them firmly, the stack heavier than he thought they would be, as he hefted them onto his shoulder, but at least that meant they were sturdy. He glanced back to the wall and saw his guitar case and sighed. How the hell was he going to carry everything? He went back to the wall and, propped the cardboard pile against the dry bricks, pulled out the shoelaces from his soggy runners and fashioned a makeshift shoulder strap to sling the guitar across his shoulder. Then he awkwardly lifted the heavy pile onto his shoulder, and began his long trek to the park.

The wind kept trying to make a sail out of his pile and it was a constant struggle to keep them from wrenching his arms and cutting into his neck but eventually he made it…home. He built his fort inside the collection of shrubs planted in a decorative clump behind a plaque commemorating some damn thing he hadn't bothered to read about to avoid anyone finding him. It wasn't easy getting it all in there, but his stubborn streak came in handy sometimes.

He took a moment to straighten his tired back and unclench his cramped fingers, then he took another minute to rub his shoulder to relieve the ache the narrow laces had cut into it. He re-inventoried his cache of personal items. There were three discarded plastic water bottles, refilled at the park's drinking fountain, a box with four remaining of the dozen donuts it had once contained, left behind by the man who had bought them for his kids, and an abandoned mauve towel. He'd stuffed the towel into the duffel bag that contained his dirty laundry to keep it as clean and dry as he could.

A sudden burst of wind made a scatter of icy rain drops land on his neck, making Blaine shiver in reaction. He wanted to get into some shelter before the weather made the long night ahead even ahead more miserable. He quickly folded the flaps of the boxes to make a shelter big enough to contain him, but small enough to keep him warm. He scarfed down a couple of the donuts to hold him over till tomorrow, grateful that at least the damp was keeping them from getting hard as stones and then washed them down with some water.

He used some more of the bottled water to try to clean up a bit before he went to sleep, but a few dribbles of water did little more than clean up his hands a bit. He couldn't do much about his curly hair that got just frigging ridiculous in this damp or his face, now scruffy with stubble after five days without shaving. So far, it still looked kind of pirate rakish but within a few more days he knew he was going to look damn scary, and nobody was going to give him a chance at a job then. He would have to buy some disposable razors as soon as he got enough cash and try to shave in the park's public washrooms.

He carefully tucked himself into the boxes, placed his guitar case at his feet, and then tucked the duffel beside him before he blocked out the light of the street lamp over near the fountain.. He rolled up the towel for a pillow and felt the quiet wrap around him, his faintly grumbling belly and gross unbrushed teeth not bothering him as much tonight. He sighed gratefully and let himself sink into sleep, feeling safer than he had in days.

The day after he'd made his cardboard fort, Blaine was positioned at the fountain again, warily keeping an eye out for the cops. They wouldn't hesitate to tell him to pack up and move along if they caught him busking again. He was playing his guitar and singing some Katy Perry to a crowd of kids and adults when he saw a well-used pickup truck stop in the nearby parking area and two young guys get out of it, a collection of take-out bags and drinks in their hands. One was tall and gangly and the other…oh wow! There were a ton of attractive boys at Dalton, but there was something about this one that made Blaine stare at him in fascination.

Blaine watched the boy take a blanket from behind the seat, laughing and talking to the other boy who was clearly fond of him, since he turned and grinned at him, then came to help him with his packages. The smaller one was a little flamboyant, but he looked strong and agile, and oh man, his ass looked awesome in those skinnys. He was rocking a totally awesome formfitting outfit that set off his gorgeous build as Blaine watched them climb the hill, wishing _he_ was the jock with the gorgeous boyfriend. You didn't see many gay couples in Ohio blatantly walking around together like those two were. It gave him hope that someday he might find somebody of his own to care about, like the incredibly lucky big guy had.

Blaine smiled and sincerely thanked the Mom who gave each of her two little blond kids a quarter to drop into his guitar case, and then started another song. He grinned even more gratefully when a man with a toddler dropped a five. Hallelujah! Lunch! He played 'Under the Sea' for the kids, some of whom sang along, and then went into a Disney medley, which the adults seemed to enjoy too, some singing along joyfully with their kids.

He watched hopefully out of the corner of one eye as another vehicle pulled up in the parking lot, beside the pickup. An older man, with a baseball cap got out. Rats! Middle aged people usually only got into classic rock stuff and that wouldn't fly with the audience he was playing to now. His disappointment faded, since the man didn't come this way anyway, heading up the hill to join the two boys sitting on the blanket. Blaine watched to see if he was going up there to hassle the boys or something.

He nearly blanked on all the words in the song he was playing, when the guy flopped down beside them, rooted around in the bag and pulled out a sandwich, casually chatting with the two boys while he ate, sitting awkwardly beside them on the ground. Awesome! An adult who didn't mind hanging out with two gay guys having a picnic lunch together!

Blaine's audience drifted away a few minutes later except for two little black kids absolutely mesmerized by his music. As long as they wanted to listen, Blaine was going to play for them, so he asked what they wanted to hear and played some Rihanna for them. He wondered where their parents were, until he saw their Grandma, sitting nearby in the shade tapping her toe to the music. After three more songs, the Grandmother dropped a ten in his case and collected the kids, thanking him kindly for his music. Blaine nearly hugged her with gratitude.

It was well after one now by the library clock and the park usually got quiet in the afternoons, while the little kids napped and adults went back to work, so Blaine put his guitar away in the case. He thought about what he should eat...definitely _not_ donuts! The last two had landed like bricks in his stomach this morning. He could spend seven bucks and get a take out burger and fries or he could buy a package of rolls and some deli meat and eat for two days for five. Rolls, it was.

He had brought his duffle bag with him in case he got enough money to stop in at the health club and ask if he could use their showers Now, he could offer them some money for a one day membership, if they were reluctant to let him in. God he needed a shower and a shave desperately because he could tell he was beginning to stink! Smelling gross wouldn't help him at _all_ in his quest for gainful employment.

He noticed the three men on the hill gather their blanket, dump their garbage in a bin and approach him just as he was about to leave. The big guy said "Awesome tunes, dude! Thanks. I really enjoyed your music." Blaine grinned at him and said a soft thank you, though he was reconsidering his first impression, deciding the big guy was straight when he only looked at Blaine's face. It always felt good when somebody took the time to thank him, especially someone around his own age. The gorgeous boy stayed in the background, his eyes flicking over Blaine quickly, without being obvious. Blaine knew the technique. Straight guys got pissed off if they thought you were checking them out.

Blaine wanted to connect with these two, but didn't want to alienate the older man. Maybe they all worked together or something. Now that they were closer Blaine could see that the tall one and the older man both had coveralls on, with their names imprinted on them. "I'm glad you liked it. Same time, same channel tomorrow, if you want to come back." He smiled at the shy boy in the back and got a smile in return that nearly paralyzed him. Geeze, he was_ so_ freaking cute!

"Should you be busking in the park? I thought there was a law against that." The older man interrupted, with a tone that didn't want to offend but seemed curious about why he was here.

"I…Um. Sorry… I didn't know. I just wanted to entertain the kids. I wasn't expecting anybody to tip me." Blaine improvised quickly, followed with an ingratiating smile.

Burt had seen several people dropping money in his case and the kid looked too grubby around the edges to be doing anything _but_ busking for cash. Was he trying to earn money to eat? On an impulse, he decided to see what happened if he offered him a job.

"Sure thing, buddy. Say, if you have some spare time, I could use a hand at the shop today. We got a load of tires that need to be put in the stock room and my regular guys are kind of busy. If you wanted to help me out I could pay you ten bucks an hour." Burt made the offer nonchalantly, his hands stuck casually into his pockets and his hat tipped back, all but chewing a straw to look as non-threatening as possible.

Finn's forehead wrinkled up in confusion. Wasn't that_ his_ job this afternoon? "Burt, I don't need…"

"I have another job for you Finn." Burt interrupted. Finn shrugged agreeably. Fine... whatever.

Kurt was watching his father, having some idea of what he was doing. The boy in the park playing his guitar looked like he was going through a rough patch. There was some grass sticking out of his wildly curly hair and his red sweater looked rather grubby around the sleeves. The jeans hid any dirt, since they were dark wash but his shoes looked damp and a faint odor of unwashed body drifted on the light breeze.

"I…yes, please! I would _love_ to help out at your shop. Yes, thank you." The kid couldn't get out his agreement fast enough, an eager hopefulness transforming his face.

Burt nodded. "Okay, great. You can ride back with me. And _you_ two" Burt turned to skewer them with a gimlet stare. "are late already. See you back at the shop." Kurt and Finn glanced at each other and silently went back to Finn's truck. Burt led the way to his truck, not looking back to see if the boy followed him. Why did he feel like he had just rescued a stray puppy?


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

**A/N: Thanks for all the interest. Feel free to leave a reveiw. Don't own any of the characters. They just live in my head and tell me stories.**

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Blaine grabbed his duffle and his guitar and followed the kind-faced man to his pickup, hoping this job might be the break he needed. The other two boys gave him a friendly smile and Finn waved, as he reversed and drove away. Blaine stared after the truck, trying to memorize that adorable smile with those soft pink lips turned up invitingly as the mesmerizing boy turned to look back at him.

"What's with Burt? He told me just before lunch that unloading the tires was _my_ next job." Finn asked, looking perplexed. Kurt just shrugged as he turned back toward Finn. His father was a sucker for people in trouble, and unless he was mistaken, that boy needed some help.

Burt was silent for the first few minutes of their drive, trying to decide how to ask questions he knew were none of his business. He glanced over to where the boy sat, inconspicuously shrinking into as small a space as he could, and decided to wait until after he put the kid to work. He likely wasn't going to go anywhere until he got paid his money, if he _was_ in trouble. Maybe he looked homeless because he was a slob simply trying to make some easy cash, but somehow Burt really didn't think so. By tonight he would know what was going on with the kid for sure, he promised himself.

Burt decided he would show Finn how to do rear brakes this afternoon, mainly because the vehicle that needed new brakes was within view of the trailer full of tires. He'd shown the new boy, Blaine, how to stock the tires by the size and type while Finn took the back wheels off the Chevy. Some of the shipment were seventeens and eighteens with a wide tread so they weighed fifty, sixty, seventy pounds apiece-a heavy load for the small size of the boy. He stuck to it, though eventually he asked hesitantly if he could use the hand truck to make moving them a little easier, proving he had brains too.

It was nearly quitting time by the time the brake job was done, since Burt had to ask Finn to disassemble them and show him again when he screwed it up the first time, and by then the entire load was stowed in the racks. The boy was filthy now, his hands and front of his sweater black with rubber dust. He was dripping sweat with his curls stuck to the side of his face and his neck, and when the wind shifted, Burt could smell him from twenty feet away. Whoooeee, he definitely needed a shower now.

Burt watched him go to the shop bathroom, which was always kept in decent shape because Kurt insisted it be scoured regularly if he had to use it, and came out looking much better but he was still awfully ripe. Burt found it impossible to believe that, in this day and age, any kid would allow himself to get into that condition unless he had no choice. Crap, that meant he _had_ to be homeless.

Burt joined him out in the lot, where he seemed to be waiting for him. "Good job, son. Say, do you have any plans for supper? The boys and I were going to have a barbeque tonight, since my wife is working until late, and I know there are more burgers and dogs than we'll ever eat. There's a bowl of potato salad and a fresh strawberry cream pie too. You interested in joining us?" He watched as the boy swallowed hard, as if his mouth had suddenly filled with saliva.

Then he stood up straight and looked him in the eyes, his dignity plain to see, and shook his head. "Thank you, sir. You're very kind, but if I could maybe be paid, I'll be on my way. You don't need to feed me too." Burt was convinced from his reaction that he desperately wished he could but he still had too much pride to accept the invitation. Burt sighed. He couldn't _force_ him to come home with him, could he? Maybe he would try again, after he paid him.

"Alright then, have it your way. Come with me to the office and we'll get your cash." He led the way to the office where Kurt was spending most of his time updating the books and paying bills, his summer job while Finn was earning his money learning the ropes in the shop. He opened the door and Kurt looked up in time to lock eyes with the boy from the park. They smiled warmly at each other, while Burt looked from one to the other. Oh ho!

"Kurt, can you get fifty bucks out of the safe to pay Blaine? Then maybe you could work on convincing him to come home with us for supper. We have lots and maybe he might play some tunes for us afterward. He can sing for his supper, right?" Burt chuckled at his lame joke, entirely ignored by the two boys, who were still eying each other with shy smiles. "Kurt?" he ventured, when Kurt continued to ignore him.

"Yeah…sure dad. Fifty, I got it." Kurt mumbled absently to his father. "Um… Blaine, do you think you could join us for dinner?" He invited the hunky boy from the park to his house with a flirty tilt of his head, a flutter of his lashes and a demure smile. Burt grinned at his son in action. He hadn't watched him turn on the charm to another boy before.

Blaine nodded his acceptance, lost in an open-mouthed trance. Kurt smiled happily back at him, pleased at his persuasive abilities. Burt was pretty sure the boy would have agreed to jump off a cliff, if Kurt would have asked him to. So…that meant Blaine was gay too. Maybe that had some bearing on why he was living rough. Kurt got the cash out of the safe for him, watching his father while Burt ostentatiously recounted it before he handed it over to Blaine.

"Right, then, there's the fifty. I'll take you home with me in my truck now, Blaine, and you two can follow, as soon as Finn cleans up the tools." Burt announced firmly.

Kurt opened his mouth to object, but then closed it without saying a word, after giving a second thought to sharing a closed vehicle with the still somewhat sweaty boy. He nodded instead and gave Blaine a little finger wave and a syrupy parting smile, as Burt herded Blaine out of the door. His foundling shook his head, in an excellent parody of waking up and then suddenly stiffened in panic when he realized he had agreed to go home with Burt.

Burt chuckled at him. "Relax kid. We're not going to eat _you! _You did a good job and we have lots. Nothing wrong with sharing when you have lots, is there?"

Blaine shook his head, still a bit suspicious of Burt's motives. He was right to be suspicious, because Burt definitely did have ulterior motives. He wanted to find out where this kid came from and why he wasn't there anymore.

He maintained a wary distance from Burt when they entered the house, as he casually tucked his guitar case and duffel near the closet at the front door. He still didn't understand why this man was going so far out of his way to help him, when no one else seemed to give a damn.

"I'm gonna go upstairs and change before supper, buddy. Do you think you could uncover the 'Q and get it started? By then, my boys should be home and Kurt can show you where you can clean up before supper." Burt indicated the back hallway with a door at the end, presumably where the grill was located.

Blaine smiled politely and agreed to start the Barbeque. Burt went up the stairs, leaving Blaine alone in his kitchen. What kind of man left a stranger alone in his house on a few hours' acquaintance? One who was a good judge of character, perhaps?

Blaine went out on the deck and uncovered the grill, brushed it off and started it, recalling when his father had shown him how, patronizingly saying it was one of those things every man should know how to do, as if it was something as manly as skinning a damn bear. He folded the cover and put it on a chair and then took a seat at the patio table, enjoying the peace of the suburban back yard with its mature trees and the birds chirping. It made him miss his own house more than he ever thought he would. Sure, it was a depressing pile of bricks, but it _had_ been his home for the last ten years.

He noticed the Hummel's lawn could use a mowing. Maybe he could offer to do it in return for his supper? Playing a few more tunes wasn't nearly enough to pay for sharing their supper with them, with _him_… His name was _Kurt_. Blaine had suffered through crushes before but this one had hit him hard right between the eyes. He was so glad that he had misunderstood and the big guy was Kurt's brother, not his boyfriend.

He knew it would be super un-cool to hit on the nice man's son as payment for his kindness, so it was best to just forget about his crush and pretend the most attractive boy he'd ever met meant nothing to him. Besides, he was in no position to come on to anybody, he decided with a disparaging grimace down at his gross, grubby clothes. Lord, he hoped no one he knew would see him like this. Maybe meeting the man in the park meant his luck was turning.

He heard voices approaching, with Finn's teasing rumble sounding before Kurt's defensive laugh. "I am not!" Blaine heard him say, as they came outside to sit down with their supper guest. Kurt and Blaine tried unsuccessfully not to stare at each other, but Finn looked from one to the other of them and snorted sardonically…gay dudes. Yeah, he was so _outta_ there. "Hey dudes, you want a drink or something before I go shower before supper?"

Blaine was actually dry as dust after sweating his ass off all afternoon, so he gratefully asked for some water. Finn assumed Kurt would have the same, though his offer had been ignored by his brother, no doubt because of his distraction. He returned with two bottles he set down in front of each of them, receiving no acknowledgment in return from either of them. He snorted again in amusement and left them to each other.

Kurt was much too busy noticing Blaine's hypnotic topaz eyes swept by long black lashes, his sweet smile with the softest looking lips framed by his incredibly masculine beard shadow. His inviting curls were rioting everywhere and his hands were slightly callused, probably from the guitar he played so well. His strong shoulders and bicep muscles filled out Blaine's red sweater beautifully, he noticed as Blaine emptied his water bottle, with his adam's apple distracting him. Unfortunately, he also noticed a horrendously rank odour that seemed to be emanating from the exceptionally attractive boy sitting across from him... Ew! Turnoff!

"Um…did dad go upstairs?" Kurt asked guardedly, knowing that, of course he had. The first thing his father did every night when he got home was change from his dirty shop clothes into other _clean_ shop clothes. He didn't look any different but at least he smelled better and the furniture stayed clean. Tomorrow he'd wear these clothes to work and then that night the cycle would repeat.

Kurt wanted to change and clean up too. He didn't work out in the shop today, but wearing the clothes he had worn at work all day to eat dinner just would not do. And OMG, he needed to get this hottie into a shower, _stat,_ or all bets were off.

"Yeah, he said he was going to go clean up." Blaine looked down at his grubby sweater and pants, and wrinkled up his nose, excruciatingly aware that he smelled and prayed fervently that the wind was going upwind from Kurt.

"So, would _you_…maybe…like to shower too? I could lend you something to wear and at least that way you wouldn't have to eat in your work clothes." Kurt said tentatively. He tried his best not to wrinkle his face in disgust, but really, no way could he eat dinner with that odor, no matter how otherwise appealing Blaine was.

"I really, _really_ would love a shower! Thank you! God, I know I probably smell like week-old road kill and I'm_ so_ sorry. It was really hot today." Blaine looked mortified by the b/o that had gotten hideously out of hand while he had sweated in the sun in clothes he had worn for five days in a row. He had washed out a couple pairs of boxers in the public bathrooms two days ago and hung them on the bushes to dry but the damp weather meant they were still hanging there, dripping wet. He had been waiting for a warmer day, and enough coins of course, to wash all his stuff at a Laundromat while he wore his sleep pants. So far, with never enough money to satisfy both, food had taken priority with his stomach overruling his nose.

Kurt shallowly breathed a sigh of relief, and graciously led his guest upstairs to his room.

"You can use my shower and I'll change out here while you're in there. You're a 28 waist too, right? Let's see, I'll bet I have something…" Kurt's voice was muffled by the clothes in his closet as he bent to rummage in a box tucked in the back, offering Blaine a view that left him breathless. Oh! Whoa!

Kurt backed out of his closet with several pairs of pants in his hands. "Let's have a look at these. I grew another inch or two last year, so these're all a bit too short for me. I'm waiting for ankle length to come in again, but I suppose I may as well give up on that." Kurt prattled on about fashion trends while he shook out the first pair of pants, and held them out in the air, squinting adorably as he imagined them on Blaine.

He settled on giving Blaine the pair of red ones he'd worn for Rachel's Barbravention, with the plain white shirt and red and navy sweater vest he'd worn with them, though he decided the hat might be a little too much for supper. He raised his eyebrows and a finger, to indicate he'd remembered something else and found a package of boxers he'd just bought and never opened yet. So, sue him, he was an underwear junkie. He laid them on top of the pile and pointed to his shower, in a very strong hint. Blaine smiled at his expression and closed the bathroom door gratefully behind him, looking forward to this shower more than any he could remember.

Kurt blew out a relieved breath and quickly opened his bedroom window to air the room. Whoa, that boy was _rank_! He turned back to his closet and had already ruled out a couple of outfits and almost settled on the third when the bathroom door unexpectedly opened again, framing Blaine, who was standing in the doorway in nothing but a towel. Guh, he was ten feet away in just A FREAKING TOWEL!

Kurt put his eyes back in his head, and tried not to gawk at the wisp of dark chest hair that dusted his pecs and disappeared into the towel hung low on his hips. Kurt never thought the cave man thing would appeal to him but holy pheromones, Batman, Blaine was incredibly hot!

The nearly naked young man in his room tried not to smirk at Kurt's open-mouthed gaping expression, but smiled unwillingly anyway. "Um. I'm not seeing a razor in here. Do you think I might be able to shave too? And do you maybe have an extra toothbrush? I would _kill _to brush my teeth."

"Of course" Kurt squeaked. He cleared his throat, and then said, an octave and a half lower with his finger in the air, "I'll just get you one. Be right back." He went out his door and rested against it for a second and breathed deeply for a minute. Good golly, miss molly, as Little Richard might say. There was an unbelievably sexy, naked Greek god in his bathroom! He rolled his eyes and took a firm hold on his scattered brain cells. Umm…ahhhhh…yes! A razor….and a toothbrush.

Kurt dashed down the stairs and rapped on Finn's bathroom door, without getting an answer since Finn had the damn tunes blaring in there and probably couldn't hear him. Kurt cracked the door with his back turned, being sure not to peek. He and Finn had both come to terms with his crush, and he was definitely over it now but he _still_ wasn't going to risk rattling those bones again. "FINN! CAN I BORROW YOUR RAZOR FOR BLAINE," he shouted, using his stage voice.

The music level lowered and Finn stuck his nose out the door, wearing his jeans, though still shirtless. He judged that Kurt could likely handle his hotness, with Blaine around to distract him, at least. He opened the door a little farther and said. "Razor? Now buddy wants to borrow my razor? Has he fricking moved in yet? When are you two getting married?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Finn, the homeless boy in my bathroom wants to shower and shave... thank goodness. I don't have a razor. Can he _please_ borrow yours? And he needs a toothbrush. Do you still have the new one the dentist gave you a couple of weeks ago?

Finn grinned in pleasure at Kurt's exasperation. God, he loved yanking Kurt's chain, but hell, the stinky dude needed a razor. "No probs, bro. Here ya go. I'm gonna throw some 'burgs and dogs on the barbie now, dude, so crank it up or you're both eating charcoal." Finn passed his razor, the toothbrush package and some shaving gel to Kurt, quickly pulled on his t-shirt and then loped up the steps, two at a time.

"Damn your freakishly long spider legs", Kurt grumbled as he followed him upstairs, and went back to his bathroom.

Kurt tapped on the bathroom door lightly but the shower was still running and he didn't get an answer. No_ way_ was he going to go in there while Blaine was showering. He'd likely suffer heart failure if he saw any more of Blaine than he already had, so he decided to change first and then try him again. As luck would have it, he had just laid out his chosen outfit and then taken off the sweater he'd worn all day, with his wife-beater undershirt half rolled up his chest when Blaine opened the door, now wearing his red jeans, but still shirtless.

The two boys stood frozen, both incapable of movement…or brain activity for that matter, with all the hormones flooding their systems. Just to make the moment perfect, that was when Burt entered Kurt's room to ask if Blaine needed a razor. (The one he'd bought for Kurt, ready for the day he finally needed one)

You could cut the sexual tension with a knife, which made Burt wonder what the hell had eaten his brain, when he invited another gay boy home to get naked in Kurt's shower! Sheesh.

"Hey, Blaine. I brought you a razor in case you wanted to…" Burt trailed off when he saw a razor, a toothbrush and some shaving gel already perched on the desk outside the bathroom door. "Oh. Kurt's got that under control, I guess."

"Yeah, I asked Finn… Kurt started saying.

"I was hoping you wouldn't mind … Blaine said at the same time, but both boys stopped, grinning dopily at each other again.

"Yeah. Well, I guess you still need to shave, Blaine. Why don't you get to that while Kurt and I go down and get the rest of the grub going? You can come on down when you're ready." Blaine nodded wordlessly, took the supplies from the desk and closed the door again, breathing a sigh of relief on the other side. He _really_ needed to stop ogling Kurt in front of his father if he didn't want to get kicked to the curb again before they even ate supper.

Kurt met his father's eyes, and smiled coquettishly, painfully aware that his father could tell how much Blaine and he were attracted to each other. His dad chuckled too, but he stayed and waited for him to finish changing and go downstairs with him pointedly. Kurt decided to wear the pants he had on, before something else embarrassing happened.

As they went down the stairs together, Burt spoke softly, already knowing the answer. "You kind of like him, don't you?" He normally trusted his son's estimation of people nearly as much as his own, but maybe since he was fascinated by the kid….

Kurt nodded affirmatively, but reassured his father. "Don't worry dad. I'll be careful." He did feel something warm inside when he looked at Blaine that wasn't _just_ sexual attraction, but he needed to know more about this boy before he gave his heart away carelessly.

Burt nodded gratefully. Kurt was a smart boy and he knew he could trust him. He wasn't positive he could trust the other one until he found out more about him. His instincts told him he was a good kid, so why was he living in the park? He hoped to hell it wasn't what his gut was telling him.

Blaine came downstairs ten minutes later looking like a new man with his curls still wet, clean shaven and smelling of Kurt's hair products and shower wash. Kurt bit his lip and smiled appreciatively at him, deciding he cleaned up beautifully. Blaine grinned back at him and did a pirouette, showing off the clothes that fit him like they were made for him in a practiced dance move, ending with 'jazz hands', if Burt recalled the stance properly from Kurt rehearsing choreography routines endlessly.

"Thanks so _much_ for the clothes you lent me, Kurt. I _love_ these jeans. Where did you find them?" Blaine sat down beside Kurt and the two of them blathered clothes-shopping for the next fifteen minutes until the food was ready and the table set.

Geeze, those two boys sounded more like half a dozen when you got them started on clothes-shopping. Finn kept rolling his eyes at them and then chuckled with Burt as they worked around the two oblivious teenagers yattering away together. Usually Kurt was the captain on deck when it came to meal preparation but today he was otherwise preoccupied.

The steaming platter of burgers and dogs Finn carried in, pried Blaine's attention from Kurt and then they all dug in. Kurt usually liked to think that he ate like a bird, but most times he ate just like a regular kid. Tonight, he put a tiny dab of potato salad on his plate, put some tomato and lettuce on his burger, and then only took two bites of it, totally engrossed by the boy across the table.

In contrast, Blaine piled the toppings atop his burger and plopped a healthy dollop of potato salad on his plate and then inhaled it all in about six bites. Then he did it again, with a chaser of two hot dogs. Finn could eat, Burt knew, but Blaine even beat him, with one serving of potato salad, two burgers and one hot dog Finn's tally for the night. Blaine washed it down with two glasses of juice and one of milk, and finished it all off with two pieces of pie and another glass of milk.

By now they were all staring in fascination at the black hole they had invited home to eat dinner. Burt knew there were usually lots of burgers left over for lunches or snacks when they cooked the whole box full, but man, there were only two left this time and four wieners. When had this poor kid eaten last?

Burt suggested all the boys go to the living room to hang out while he cleaned up the kitchen, but Blaine had another suggestion. "You and Finn made dinner. How about Kurt and I clean up?" Kurt leapt on that idea like it was going to save his life, so Burt let them, though he suspected Blaine just wanted to spend more time with Kurt. He and Finn went to the living room and then had to listen to the whispering and giggling from the kitchen until the boys joined them again.

"I guess I owe you a few tunes. I think I should maybe mow the lawn or something else too since I'm sure I probably ate the equivalent to my weight in supper. Dinner was great!" Blaine put his hands on his flat stomach and sighed happily.

"Sure, why don't you play something for us? Kurt and Finn sing too, so maybe you could all sing together?" Burt put down his newspaper while Blaine got out his guitar. It took a couple of minutes to settle on where to start but Blaine finally said he would begin with Rihanna, and then some Maroon 5, and after that Burt had no idea whose song it was, but it sounded good, especially when Kurt and Finn did join in on some of them.

Kurt thought he would stump Blaine when he asked for some Mellencamp for his father, but Blaine did Cherry Bomb, and he sounded pretty damn good too. The music lasted about forty minutes before Blaine's eye watering yawn interrupting his song made Kurt suggest they watch some TV.

They watched Idol on TV after that. The three boys picked all the performances apart, sounding much more critical than the judges, Burt thought. Kurt excused himself midway through the show and sneakily collected Blaine's clothes from the malodorous duffle bag he had stuffed them into and put them all through the washer and dryer, being sure to block the sweater to dry properly. Phew, he couldn't possibly let him wear any of them again, the way they were. He was inordinately pleased to see they wore the same size and brand of boxers…at least, until he decided that was a little too creepy.

Blaine was trying to work up the determination to leave the Hummel's house and go back to the park and his cardboard bed, but he kept putting it off. It was almost irresistible to pretend he was part of a family again in a warm, bright house with people who enjoyed each other's company.

Burt turned the TV to an episode of House after that, and only minutes later saw Blaine was passed out against his end of the couch, leaned over and sleeping with his elbow under his head, with Finn blinking sleepily beside him. Burt tapped Finn and motioned to go to bed, then whispered to Kurt to cover Blaine while he gently lifted his legs onto the couch. Kurt slipped a pillow under his arm and Burt watched his son tuck their guest in with a tender smile that scared his father far more than the coy looks they'd shared. He left to go to bed too after that, with a warm glance back at their guest.

Burt followed Carole upstairs to their bedroom when she came home after her shift to explain why they had a foundling passed out on their couch. Carole agreed to let him sleep there and that they would try to learn more about him the next day.

Unknown to his father, Kurt had recognized Blaine during their impromptu concert when he sang "What Kind of Fool" for them. Blaine's voice had seemed familiar all day, but it wasn't until that moment that he pictured him in a blue blazer with his hair slicked down standing in front of the Warblers, doing step-hops.

When Kurt went up to his room he looked up some Warbler YouTubes and then Googled Dalton Academy. It took a couple of links but he_ got_ him! He was Blaine Anderson, front man for the Dalton Warblers at 2011 Sectionals. How had a Dalton boy ended up homeless in the park? Maybe he should just ask him what he wanted to know?


	3. Chapter 3

**P Ch 3 A**

Blaine woke up halfway through the night, and found himself all alone in the dimly lit living room. He considered bailing on the Hummels, feeling too much like a charity case, but he knew Burt was his best opportunity for a chance to make his own way without starving to death first. Working for him had to be better than busking in the park, and if he stuck around he might even be able to see more of Kurt. He waffled about what to do long enough that he ended up falling asleep again.

The next morning, he was jiggled awake by a strange lady shaking his shoulder. He had no idea where he was or who she was. His first thought was that he was being asked to clear out again and he jumped up apologizing and trying to find his stuff.

"Whoa, honey. I'm sorry for startling you. I'm Carole, Finn's mom. I wondered if you might like to join us for some breakfast, but I wanted to talk to you before the herd comes thundering in. Burt tells me your name is Blaine. I'm pleased to meet you, Blaine. Now…tell me, _why_ were you were living in the park?"

Carole smiled a warm and friendly smile and hoped that an abrupt question would flush a truthful answer out of the boy before he had a chance to come up with a passable lie. She had come across scared kids before working at the hospital and if you could convince them that you wanted to help, sometimes they would let you. And sometimes they wouldn't, if they were too hardened by being betrayed too many times.

"I didn't have anywhere else to go." Blaine answered thoughtlessly, before he took the time to think about it, then realized he'd said more than he should have. "But don't worry about me. I'm doing fine." He tried to sound nonchalant, hoping she wouldn't ask him anymore awkward questions.

Carole watched him shut down. He didn't want to tell her why he was living in the park, she could tell. "All right, son. You deserve your privacy. Would you like eggs or maybe some pancakes for breakfast?"

Unexpectedly, Blaine was undone by the kindness of these people. Why did his parents have to be such assholes when Kurt and Finn's parents were so amazing? In a wave of overwhelming self-pity, he suddenly dissolved into tears. Carole watched him crumple and pulled him into her arms. He hung on to her, desperate for comfort and let himself wallow there for a few minutes. When he heard footsteps approaching from upstairs he pulled back, wiping his face with the back of his hand. Geeze, he was such a baby. One kind word and he'd fallen into bits.

"I.. I.. I'm sorry" he hiccupped, like he was four. God! How mortifying. He was supposed to be a self-sufficient man.

Carole watched the boy cringe in embarrassment, humiliated by his emotional collapse. "I won't tell anybody, if you don't. " She promised with a smile, getting him a couple of tissues and patting his shoulder comfortingly. "Now, you are _not_ leaving here without telling me what it is that's got you so down. Talk, mister! Is it because you're gay?" She asked him the question with a soft smile, and not a hint of disapproval in her attitude. Blaine decided to come clean then. If Kurt was their son, maybe they'd be okay with it.

"Yeah… In a nutshell, that's pretty much it. My father found out that I told people at school and told me to get lost and never darken his door again. He doesn't want any of his friends to find out about it." Blaine was astounded at how easy it was to talk to this lady. Did she have some kind of superpower or something? "He cancelled my bank card and my cell phone service so …I've been playing my guitar in the park to earn money to eat since I couldn't get a job. Burt was the only one who would give me a chance and hire me."

Blaine refused to meet Carole's eyes when he told her why he was trying to get by on his own and her heart broke. He couldn't be any older than their two boys were. What kind of people could just throw a child out onto the street for something he couldn't change? Surely there must be some way to help him without adopting yet _another_ teenager. Dealing with two they already had was proving to be quite a big enough challenge for her and Burt.

At that moment Burt came down the stairs, and saw that Blaine's face held relief and sadness. Yes! She got him to talk! Carole was amazing. He smiled as he joined them in the living room, and Carole gave him just the tiniest nod to tell him they had suspected correctly.

He nodded back to her, wondering what they should do about it. Maybe he would take Blaine to work with him again today. That way at least he could earn what he was going to eat and he could keep an eye on him. He sighed, wondering what he was going to do with him after that. Today was Friday and then it was the weekend. He hoped by Monday that he might have found some place safe for the boy, at best, back at his own house, at worse, in the care of whatever public support system he fit into.

Kurt came downstairs next and the two boys locked eyes again, with shy smiles. "Good morning, Blaine" he said softly and came to sit beside him.

Blaine smiled at him vacantly, his brain in neutral, while Kurt was so near to him. "Hi Kurt. You look amazing." he replied breathlessly. Carole tipped her head at Burt and gave him the 'look'. Yeah, he'd noticed, he inferred with an eye roll Kurt would have been proud of.

Blaine was very appealing, even to Burt, so it was no wonder Kurt thought so, and apparently Blaine was even more smitten with his son. Burt might be heavily biased but he'd always thought Kurt was kind of adorable too, just like his mother, since he took after her so much. He'd always privately wondered why no other boys had flocked to his house before now. Well, he certainly would never presume to understand gay boys, not even the one he had raised.

Finn came up the stairs next, scratching and yawning, so Carole got busy making breakfast. She turned out pancakes on the big griddle for the next fifteen minutes, until they started slowing down at devouring them. She watched the shy smiles and side glances the two boys were giving each other and caught Burt's eye. This was a complication she hadn't counted on, but she knew Kurt well enough to know he wasn't about to be bowled head over heels so quickly. He was a sensible boy, once you got past all that diva surface stuff.

"So Blaine, if you want, you can come to help out in the shop again today. I'm sure I can find stuff to keep you busy. I don't mind giving a hand to somebody who just needs a chance, and I could use your help. My only condition is that you be totally honest with me. Does that work for you?" Burt watched the boy sitting at his kitchen table think over his offer and saw a flash of relief go through his eyes.

"Yes sir. But I don't want to be just a charity case. I want to earn my way. If I'm going to eat here at your house you have to let me pay for that too. Can I mow the lawn or wash windows or do some chores or something in return?" Blaine regarded him with his pride showing in his face again.

Burt smiled back at Blaine and nodded. "Sure, you can mow the lawn, if you want, son. It's Kurt's turn this Saturday, but I'm pretty sure he won't mind at _all_ if you do it for him." Kurt widened his eyes comically and nodded emphatically, making them all laugh. He_ hated_ mowing the lawn and did his best to get out of it every chance he got, usually trading it for kitchen chores with Finn who preferred mowing to washing dishes. He would _far_ rather watch Blaine do it instead. Maybe he might even want to take off his shirt, if he got too warm. Oooh. It was still supposed to stay pretty warm out.

Kurt had already unobtrusively returned all of Blaine's clothes, dry and clean to their unaware guest. He mentioned quietly to Blaine when he told him, that he had added a few things to his bag that he'd grown out of that might be more suitable for Blaine to work in.

Blaine accepted them gratefully, but man, it sucked to have to take handouts from the boy he was crushing on. He changed into a blue t-shirt and dark jeans in the main floor bathroom and then they were ready to leave for work. Carole had another afternoon shift so she kissed them all goodbye when they left, including the shy new boy at the end of the row of four, as if he'd always been there.

Burt drove Blaine to work in his truck, while Kurt and Finn drove together again. Burt waited until he had backed out of the driveway and then chanced a glance at his quiet new employee.

"Blaine, I don't think you deserve to be disowned because your parent's disagree with your orientation. If you need a hand to get through this, I'm willing to give you one. I know you want to work for your living and get by on your own, but you can't continue to live in the park. It's too dangerous and I couldn't sleep at night worrying about you. Is it okay if I try to find you a hostel, or a room or something?"

Blaine sighed and realized he was going to have to accept some help. He nodded then added "I want to repay you someday for all your help. You've been really kind." He smiled shyly.

Burt smiled widely, and gave him a pat on the arm. "Sure thing, kid. We'll work it out."

When Burt got to the shop, he set up Blaine with some inventory stuff. He had to compare how many of each item was sold in the past year and edit out any that weren't selling, and then reorganize the shelf to make more room for those that were selling better. It was a job that had needed doing for months and months but nobody had the time to spare to do it until now, except for Burt himself and he had been putting the tedious job off for too long.

After the first half an hour Blaine was flipping the orders back and forth and relabeling shelves without any help from him. Finn was working with Zeke, learning the fine points of how to change a tie rod on a Toyota and Kurt was working in the office. Awesome! All three boys were being useful instead of lounging around at home eating their way through their groceries with the help of their friends.

While Blaine worked, the memories of how he'd been evicted from his home haunted him. The horrible scene replayed in his head of when he'd jubilantly returned home for the weekend from the Dalton Academy for Boys late Friday afternoon after saying goodbye for the summer to all his friends, with hugs and slaps on the back and heartfelt promises to keep in touch.

He discovered his father and mother waiting for him in the formal living room, his father positively livid with outrage. He was waving a Dalton intranet page, with Blaine's smiling face in his school picture on it so he recognized that it must be a copy of his student profile. Every Dalton student posted his profile with his picture, following a predetermined format. His name, home-town, who his parents were, his interests and some history…stuff like that.

Blaine immediately suspected what his father was pissed about. This year, a number of students had started putting their sexual orientations and relationship status on their profiles too. It was handy to know who was gay and who was going steady, though to tell the truth, it made no difference to most of them.

And knowing who was hooked up made life a little easier too, for those interested in dating another of the students. It was the gay guys who had started the trend and Blaine had gone along with the flow and added his orientation and status too, assuming his parents would never get access to the student section of the school's web site. There it was, though. '**Gay-Single**' was clearly legible on the bottom part of the Student ID section, listed under 'other', on the page his father had shoved in his face. He was wrong about them ever seeing it and now he was in deep shit.

He'd always figured his parent's must have _known _somehow, even without him actually coming right out and declaring 'I'm gay', in some lame public service announcement but geeze, they _must _have had a clue. He had never dated a girl, he loved show tunes and old Hollywood musicals, which okay, maybe _was_ a stereotype, but it was a clue too. He sang in a glee club at school, which was boss at Dalton, but it was pretty gay all the same. He wasn't very flamboyant, but he did dress with a certain panache that most straight guys didn't have when he was in his civies. So…well, maybe it _had_ been a surprise for them to read that he had shared with the accepting world of Dalton that he was gay. His parents definitely knew he was gay_ now,_ anyway.

He sat obediently on the couch, as instructed in a loud roar by his father, and waited for him to stop spraying saliva as he went on and on about having to keep up appearances for the sake of the family. Blaine didn't apologize or say much of anything in explanation, other than 'yes sir' or 'no sir', the way his father always expected him too. Most of the rant consisted of the mortification his father felt about having anyone _else_ find out that his younger son was homosexual, particularly his business contacts or one of his many country club cronies and his anger at Blaine's complete disregard for his parent's feelings.

Blaine's mistake had been to snort when he'd said that. He had been thinking to himself that his_ own_ feelings had been left entirely out of the picture, with the whole emphasis on his father's reaction and the dire consequences of having anyone find out that he had, _horrors_ …a gay son. His mother sat on the chair across from him, looking upset, almost as if she might have liked to interrupt to say something, but she didn't. His mother was a staunch traditional Catholic, raised in the repressive Catholic private schools of Italy, so Blaine knew she would be horrified at his revelation, convinced he was headed straight to hell now.

Instead of his father finally running out of words and sending him to his room, the way Blaine expected, he totally lost his shit when Blaine snorted in contempt, and grabbed him by the shoulder of his shirt and hauled him bodily to the front door. Before he'd known what was going on, he was shoved out on the step with his father declaring he couldn't _ever_ come back, aghast at unexpectedly being left homeless and abandoned. He was headed for his car, still in shock about what had happened when his father had re-emerged from the house, snatched the car keys from his hand and forbidden him to take his car. He'd pointed down the street and then coldly told him to get the fuck lost.

Blaine had grabbed the duffel of dirty laundry and his guitar case that went everywhere with him, both still sitting beside his car and started walking quickly away, his shoulders hunched defensively. He needed to get as far away from the raving lunatic his father had turned into as he possibly could.

He'd walked for an hour in the soft summer evening light trying to decide where to go, ending up in the interstate strip of Lima, where the hotels and motels were. He still had his phone on him, with the charger in the duffel, but who the hell should he call? He couldn't tell any of the guys from school that he'd been tossed out of his home, like a bag of garbage on the curb. There was nothing _they_ could do about it. There was no point in even thinking about going back to Dalton again, if his parents weren't going to pay the tuition, and he could do without the pity party from his friends. He decided to get a motel room and regroup. Maybe he could get a job or something and then get an apartment and make his way on his own.

He checked into the Rest-A-While Motel that night, the desk clerk giving him a suspicious once over at his paucity of luggage. They probably didn't get many teenagers travelling alone. He used his debit card to pay for the room, took his key and went on a search to find his vaguely musty-smelling room. He ripped back the grotty dark green spread and laid down fully dressed on the bed, hoping the rumbling traffic noise from the highway would slow a bit in a couple of hours. He was determined not to cry, though he could feel them building up at the back of his throat. He was nearly a grown man, damn it! He was almost eighteen and you didn't cry at that age no matter how bad your life sucked.

His grandmother was very old fashioned and traditional, so there was no help to be had there. She was fucking scary at the best of times and would _never_ side with him over his father, especially about something like _this_. He had an aunt, his mother's sister, who travelled all over the world with some company he couldn't remember the name of. He had no idea where the hell she might be or if she'd even care, since she was nearly as fervent a Catholic as his mother was, even if she didn't get to church every Sunday, like his mom did. In any case, most of his family seemed to be tinged with incipient homophobia, so probably none of them would give a damn, except for maybe his brother.

His eight year older brother, Cooper, was in LA somewhere. He got the occasional email from him, usually from some internet café, but he was almost always mooching a bed from one of his friends and there was no way to reliably reach him. There wasn't much Cooper could do for him anyway, since he too had been told to not bother coming home again, when he'd lit out for California to be an actor instead of following the plan his father had written in cement for his oldest to become a lawyer and come to work for him in life-long servitude before he eventual took over the family buisness. The poor guy had all he could do to look after himself. Now it looked like Blaine was going down the same road.

When Coop had taken off, his father's plans for him had been hastily revised and reapplied to Blaine instead. Sending him to Dalton after he'd been assaulted had been approved, not to keep his youngest safe from bullies, but to ensure he got the best education possible. Blaine never bothered to explain to him why those guys had beaten him up.

His parents presumably thought it was still because he was being picked on for being on the small side, which was the reason he been bullied earlier in his life. Being the littlest guy on every team would never make Blaine a star quarterback or a basketball centre but his tenacity often got him a place on the team anyway. The only time Blaine ever heard any praise from his father was when their team would win. His dad could care less about his position as lead soloist for the Warblers, or the fact that he'd held an honours grade average every year since the year he transferred, taking that as a matter of course.

It took about ten minutes of eliminating people in the dark, until Blaine realized he had run out of people to turn to. Then the tears started leaking out of his eyes and into his hair. He gave up after that and just sobbed into the pillow, letting the anguish at his parents telling him they didn't want him around anymore flood him.

The next day, when he tried to pay for another night at the motel, his debit card wouldn't work anymore and he was tossed out on the street again. Damn, if only he'd taken out some cash the night before, but he never once thought his father would leave him totally penniless like that.

The following day he wasn't surprised to see his cell phone display a 'No Service' message, so it looked like he'd taken that away from him too. Cooper never did get back to him, so it probably didn't matter much. Since then, he had been using the park for his home base, while he applied for jobs everywhere in town he could think of, but so far, nobody needed help from a kid with few skills and no address or phone number and steadily declining hygiene.

He had been playing his guitar in the park or on the main street to earn cash, while the weather had been fair over the weekend and lots of people were in the park. He had saved up about twenty five bucks toward a room and a shower when a couple of guys in hunting camouflage swiped it from him, with the bigger one holding his arms behind him and the smaller one patting down his pockets. They laughingly thanked him for the drinking money before they shoved him onto the ground and took off. He probably should be grateful they didn't hurt him, but it was hard to go to sleep that night with his stomach hollow with hunger. After that, he decided to hide any extra cash in his sock, but so far he'd had to spend any money he got on food.

He hoped that Burt could find him a place he could afford to live and still eat. The Hummels and Hudsons made him feel that at least he wasn't all alone any more, which was huge after feeling so utterly abandoned. He really wanted to ask Kurt for a date someday, but for now he had nothing to offer him but admiration and that didn't cut it.

He was beginning to believe that meeting them had been the turning point in his life.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ch 4**

Once Burt had explained the task and Blaine was working on his own, he thought that this should be a good time to see if he could track down some place for Blaine to stay. He went to the office and made a series of calls from his desk while Kurt pretended he wasn't listening to every word at the other desk.

Half an hour later Burt came to the realization that there _were_ no good alternatives for a place for Blaine to stay. Within a twenty mile radius there was a place for unwed mothers, a place for kids reintegrating with society once they had served terms in custody, and an orphanage for kids under sixteen without parents or parents in jail or something grim, but there was _no _place for a good kid with parents who chose not to keep him, once he was past sixteen.

When Burt looked up from rubbing his head in frustration, he found Kurt watching him. He'd heard his side of the conversations so Burt didn't need to explain his failure.

"Maybe Blaine could just…" Kurt tried to look nonchalant, while he casually suggested Blaine stay with them.

"No freaking _way_ is he moving into our house." Burt cut Kurt off before he could finish. Blaine could _not_ stay at their house. For one thing, they already had two teenaged boys who were as much as they could handle, both financially and emotionally. There was always one crisis or another to be dealt with at their house, it seemed, between Finn's on and off again love life and his constant tendency to break things and Kurt's bullying issues and fashion fanaticism.

For the second thing…Blaine was gay. Not that Burt had anything against that, but Kurt was gay too. You could feel the attraction between those two like the heat from a bonfire. It would be asking for trouble to have Blaine living in the same house as his son.

Burt believed that so far, Kurt had pretty much stayed away from romantic entanglements and he'd like it to stay that way for as long as possible. On the other hand, Blaine had done nothing to deserve being disowned simply because his parents were intolerant jerks. He couldn't just leave the boy to crash and burn on his own, since he'd never be able to live with himself it he did. It was a matter of time until Blaine got sick from living outdoors, or somebody beat him up… or worse. Burt sighed hopelessly. What the hell was he going to do with the kid?

Kurt was still scowling at him, offended at his father's curt dismissal of his idea of letting Blaine stay with them temporarily until he found something better. It wasn't like Blaine meant anything special to him or anything. Yes, he was incredibly hot, but really dad, he _could_ control himself, he thought to himself resentfully. His father noticed his expression and sighed.

"I'm sorry Kurt, but we can't take him in. Do you have any other ideas? Any other friends who would let Blaine stay with them and maybe he could pay some board or something?" Kurt tilted his head in consideration. Mercedes parents were wonderfully generous, but their house was small and already over full, with her grandparents living with them now too. Santana...oh no, no, no. Um…Really, Brit was the only one…but Rory was already living there in their spare room. Wait…

"There is still lots of space left over up in the shop's mezzanine, dad. We could put the overstock racks on one end, clean it up and set up a bed from our attic upstairs on the window end. There is a washroom down here and a fridge and microwave, so he could make some meals here. It wouldn't be luxurious but it has to be better than the park. At least, it would be warm and dry."

Burt gave the idea a few minutes thought. It would work for a while at least, while they worked on a long term plan. There was still a lot of furniture in the attic from Kurt's old room they could bring over. Blaine would have to come to their house to shower and stuff, but he would be safe and warm in the meanwhile. On the bright side, he would never have an excuse to be late for work.

"Yeah, that would work for a while, Kurt. Good thinking, buddy." Burt said with a pat on Kurt's shoulder. Burt felt better already. They would set it up tonight after work. Kurt felt warmth seep through him knowing that Blaine would be safe and warm because _he_ had come up with a refuge for him.

At lunch time, Blaine joined the other two boys while they went out for lunch, opting for wraps this time. He sat comfortably between Kurt and Finn in Finn's truck, like they had been doing it for weeks, very much aware that his leg was resting against Kurt's as they went through the drive through.

They ate in the park on Kurt's blanket again and Blaine got to appreciate the park, instead of mining it for handouts. He watched the town's police cruiser go by without a qualm, no longer worried about being hassled. What a relief! From up here he could see a corner of his cardboard castle showing between the shrubs, but didn't mention it to the other boys, ashamed of where he had ended up. He hoped the last week was the lowest point he ever had to experience in his life, and felt optimistic about his future for the first time since his parents had evicted him.

They went back to work and delivered Burt's lunch to him. He ate in the office, having decided to let the three boys go out together without his parental presence. He had asked Kurt to try to get some background information out of Blaine, like where he had lived before. Maybe he could talk to his parents and ask them what the hell they were thinking, when they held Blaine responsible for something he couldn't change, no matter how much he would have liked to.

When Blaine went back to work, Kurt told his father Blaine's last name and the fact that he was a Dalton boy, at that fancy school for boys that the rich kids went to. Holy crap! If Blaine's family was that well off, it was even more infuriating that they set him loose without any means of support. He asked Kurt to see if he could find his parent's address. Burt wasn't sure yet what he might say to them, but he wanted to know more about them at any rate. Kurt agreed to look up what he could about them.

That night after supper, during which Burt was relieved to see Blaine ate a lot less voraciously than the night before, they discussed setting Blaine up at the shop. He insisted that he pay some sort of rent so Burt told him he could pay fifty bucks a week, since it wasn't going to cost much to let him use it, but Burt decided to secretly bank it for Blaine to use down the road.

Kurt got some bedding and accessories loaded in the Nav while the other three of them loaded up the furniture from the attic in Finn's pickup, and went back to the shop. They made short work of cleaning and rearranging the place to be comfortable enough. It might be noisy in the day time, but at night it would be quiet and private.

He had to give Blaine the alarm code for the man door but the office had a separate locked door and he was convinced Blaine was trustworthy anyway. The alarm was mostly to keep the shop tools from being stolen. He deposited the cash receipts daily, like it said on his shop's door, so there was little reason for burglars to bust in and so far, he hadn't had a problem. Lima was a safe town, where everybody knew everybody, but the interstate went right by the town, only a few blocks away.

Blaine was tickled pink at having a place of his own. There was an open steel stairway to get upstairs from the hallway at the back of the shop, then you had to thread your way through the shelves to get to the front of the building. He was glad his place had a window overlooking the street to let in light and air. He would have missed being able to see the stars, now that he had gotten used to their company.

Kurt volunteered to make him some curtains for the window and for across the back of the storage area for more privacy when he had a chance, but Blaine said not to bother. He liked it fine the way it was. The slanted ceiling was painted a white that had aged into a soft grey, so it was an advantage to be height-challenged, he decided, when Finn bumped his head twice in the space of ten minutes while they carried in his new bed.

Kurt had brought some colourful accessories to perk up the place with a small area rug, a bed spread and a lamp on a night table beside his hanging white chair and another comfy chair and battered side table Blaine set beside the window to play his guitar in. He knew the place wasn't lavish but it was _his_ and it was warm, safe and dry. Blaine realized now how drastically his priorities had been rearranged once he had been denied access to the enormous designer bedroom he had enjoyed at home, with every electronic device at his convenience.

Once they were done, Burt said goodnight to Blaine and assumed they would all leave him there for the night. Kurt seemed to be stalling, saying he still needed to put some finishing touches on things, so Finn asked to catch a ride home with Burt in the Nav and left Kurt his keys to follow later in his pickup.

It wasn't until Burt was actually pulling out of the driveway that he had the realization that he had just set up Blaine with a private place to be alone with Kurt in his own damn shop. Sheesh, at least if he had let him stay at his house, he could have supervised them. Now they were on their own, with no one around at all to keep them vertical. He decided he would have to trust in Kurt's common sense to keep him out of trouble. Oh boy, what had he done?

Kurt waited until he heard his father's truck leave before he sat in the hanging chair casually. "Do you mind if I hang out here with you for a bit?" He fluttered his eyes at Blaine, flirting shamelessly.

"HELL NO!" Blaine replied a whole lot more excitedly than he had planned. Way to sound cool, Blaine, he told himself. He blushed while Kurt chuckled at his response. "I mean, sure. It's your place, so of course you're welcome."

"Well, this place is yours now, but thank you. What are your plans, Blaine? Is there any family or friends that might be willing to help out? You still have to finish high school. Are you going back to Dalton, or will you go to McKinley?"

"How do you know about Dalton? I didn't tell you that." Blaine said warily. He had no idea yet what he might do or if any family was interested in staying in touch or helping him. He had never considered that he might need them so he never bothered to memorize their contact information. He had some email addresses in his computer at home, but that wasn't any help to him now.

"I recognized you when we were singing last night, from Sectionals with the Warblers. It's kind of scary how much information there is available on people on the internet. I looked you up on Dalton's You Tubes and then got your name from the Dalton site. Then I looked up your family and got your home address and then looked up your father's name and his company's name, Anderson Home Furnishings. I trolled through their web site and discovered he's the CEO. Is that why he was so bent about you coming out?"

Kurt thought maybe he should be grateful that his father was a nobody. His dad had gotten some grief from a few customers about letting his flamboyantly gay son work for him, but he'd always told Kurt he was more important than anyone who had a problem with his son.

"Huh. Well, there's not much more to tell you. I have a brother in L.A but he's really hard to get hold of. I left him an email message the night it happened. I have an aunt who travels a lot for some software company I don't remember the name of and then there's my grandmother. She lives in New York City, but I don't really know her exact address. She's kind of scary. Even my father is afraid of her, so…yeah. I don't think she would take me in, though. She'd probably congratulate him." Blaine said gloomily, as he sat on the bed facing Kurt.

The setting sun was shining in the window on his new friend as he swung gently in the chair and Blaine thought he was incredibly attractive, with the light making a halo around him. It was nice to have Kurt as a distraction, since he somehow didn't feel sorry for himself at all, for the moment.

"Maybe you should find out if they might help for sure, before you write them off." Kurt said with a bit of a shrug and his nose wrinkled up adorably.

"Sure" Blaine replied absently. God, but he was attractive. Just meeting Kurt had put being homeless into a whole new light. There was a bright side to everything, apparently. It seemed that Blaine's natural optimism was re-emerging.

"Um, Kurt, do you think I could use the computer in the office to check my email? Maybe Cooper got back to me? Or I could look up my Nana. My buddies at Dalton would be willing to help me, but I refuse to be a charity case. I can't go back next year anyway, if my parents aren't going to pay the tuition. Do you have any idea what it costs to go there? It's freaking ridiculous."

"Sure, no problem" Kurt got up and led the way back to the office, unlocking the door with his keys and fired up the computer for him. He sat on the desk beside Blaine, being awfully distracting with his extremely tight pants emphasizing his package and his crossed ankles kicking back and forth. Blaine did his best to tear his eyes away and focus on the computer, but kept finding himself drawn back to him every time he had to wait for a screen, since the internet in the shop was very slow compared to his home feed. He signed into his email and found a reply from Cooper dated two days before, along with several emails from his friends.

"Jesus, that blows, Blaine. The pater familius is a cretin. I can send you some money to get you here, if you want. I don't have a lot but, hey man, you're my little brother and I'll hit up everybody I know for you. I don't have a place of my own though to put you in. I'm staying with a buddy right now but that's wearing a little thin and I might be moving soon. Have you called Aunt Lucy? She's pretty cool. When I talked to her about bailing out of Ohio, she told me to go for it. Where are you staying? How can I get hold of you? Your cell phone never answers and I've left you ten messages. Tell me what's going on Bro. Stand up tall, shrimp, Your Big Brudda"

Blaine snorted at his asshole brother, but he appreciated his support. He knew Cooper didn't have much. His father had blocked his access to his trust account too, with the support of his grandmother, both of them extremely unimpressed at Cooper's career choice. He started a reply telling Coop that he had a room over Hummel's Tire and Lube in Lima where he had a job, and with Kurt's permission told him to reply care of KurtHummel  It felt pretty good being able to tell Cooper that he was getting by okay, since the news a few days ago would have been a whole lot grimmer. He never wanted to admit to anyone that he had been living in a cardboard box in the park. Then he asked for Aunt Lucy's contact info, and informed him that their father had cut off his phone and debit card.

He replied quickly to a bunch of his friend's emails, in a group message saying he was away for a while and would be out of contact for a bit. He didn't want to explain what had happened until he was in a better situation. He knew Nick, Jeff and Wes would track him down if he didn't get back to them soon though. His phone would likely blow up if he ever got it reconnected, with all the messages they'd probably already left him.

Blaine did some research of his own after that and found his grandmother's address and phone number. He didn't call her yet though. That was something he would have to work up to, maybe in a last resort situation and certainly not with Kurt sitting beside him, in case she rejected him too.

He shut down the computer after that and smiled a thank you to the boy watching him, looking elegant and cool. He had been staring at Blaine's hair and trying to resist the impulse to run his fingers through those soft looking curls. He tore his eyes away when Blaine sat back and smiled at him when he was finished with the computer, making Kurt blush with how amazing his mouth looked when he did that. He didn't smile nearly enough. Their eyes locked again, with both of them gazing at the other. The silence stretched out for a few seconds.

Kurt broke the mood of mutual admiration first, sliding forward off the desk just as Blaine stood and then they were suddenly only inches from each other. They both moved at the same time, leaning toward each other into a kiss. Kurt had always assumed the fireworks they referred to in the movies were sort of an allegory for an emotional response. Nope. There really were rockets going off in his chest and his pants, while he felt Blaine holding him, with his hands clutching him tight against his body.

Blaine felt such an intense feeling of _rightness_. This was where he belonged, kissing Kurt, he knew immediately. God, he never wanted this to end. He let himself fall into the sensations flooding him, with every nerve ending in his body sizzling in overwhelmed excitement.

The kiss went on for several moments, breaking only for them to gasp for breath and move to their faces and necks. Blaine wasn't sure how they'd gotten there, but now they were leaning against the wall beside the door and he felt the full length of Kurt's body against him, with his one ankle wrapped around his knee, kissing him just as hungrily.

A ring tone from Kurt's phone in his pocket grew gradually louder, penetrating their passion. They pulled apart, staring into each other's eyes with shocked surprise. The surprise turned into a sudden awareness that the phone had now gone silent. The shop phone on the desk beside them went off next, making them both jump apart. Blaine released his arms from around Kurt, intensely aware that he was raging hard and panting…and so was Kurt.

Blaine watched Kurt close his eyes and breathe deeply once or twice, then move to pick up the phone, saying smoothly, "Hummel Tire and Lube. This is Kurt speaking. How can I help you?" He listened for a bit, the high colour in his cheeks slowly fading. "Oh, hi dad. Yes, I'm still here. We were checking Blaine's email on the shop computer. Oh, sorry. I must have left my phone in my jacket. _Yes,_ dad. I'll be home soon." He hung up the phone and stared at it for a minute, unwilling to meet Blaine's eyes. He was still trying to come to terms with how hot that kiss had gotten in two seconds flat. He glanced to Blaine, who was staring at the floor, looking rather flustered himself.

"Sorry about that" Blaine muttered, as he scratched his neck self-consciously. Wow. He'd kissed a couple of guys along the way at Dalton, though he'd never actually dated anybody. But never, _ever _had he felt this way before about another boy. There was something enchanting about Kurt. He glanced at him, and caught him looking back at him. They smiled at each other, both aware they had accidentally discovered something extremely powerful. Oh man, they'd been steam-rollered by their out of control reactions.

"I should go…before my dad comes back here to get me. I don't think he trusts me, for some reason." Kurt grinned at Blaine naughtily with a chuckle, both of them well aware that Burt's worrying had been entirely justified. God knows what might have happened if he hadn't called just then.

"Yeah, I'd be cutting my own throat if I got him mad at me. But I…god Kurt, I really, really like you. Could I see you, like officially, on a date or something, once I get back on my feet?" Blaine asked hopefully. "Would he mind? If we dated? He seems okay with us being gay, but that's a lot different from us being together." Blaine already knew how much Burt loved his son. He also knew that it was that love that made him help Blaine, when he thought of the same thing happening to his own son.

"I don't know. He can be awfully protective of me. Maybe we should let him get more attached to you first. We can always date later." Kurt moved closer to Blaine and leaned to leave a slow gentle kiss on his lips. "Goodnight Blaine. Call me tomorrow…after eleven though. I need my beauty sleep. You can come over for breakfast. I'll make you some waffles, if you like. Then I'm supposed to go to the mall tomorrow afternoon with Mercedes, my best friend. You're welcome to come with us, if you want."

"Thanks Kurt, but I think I'll decline. I don't have money for shopping and I promised to mow the lawn tomorrow. I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight." Blaine leaned in to kiss Kurt again lightly, before he got into it too much, then turned and left him, climbing back up the stairs again. He still hadn't caught up on his sleep, exhausted after sleeping outdoors for most of the week and on the couch last night. He was looking forward to an uninterrupted night of deep sleep in a real bed again. His head had barely hit the pillow before he was deeply asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Blaine was at the Hummel's house the next day promptly by eleven, ensuring he wasn't earlier so he didn't wake Kurt, ready and eager to mow the lawn. He owed Burt big time and he was happy to spare Kurt the task. Burt showed him where the mower and the gas can were stored and let him go at it.

The sound of the mower revving when it started woke Kurt. He pulled his pillow over his head in his bed, muttering grumpily at whomever it was that was…Blaine! He leapt out of the bed and peeked out the window. It _was _Blaine! He was mowing their lawn, with his father standing in the driveway with his hands on his hips watching him. Geeze dad, way to supervise. As he watched, Burt saluted Blaine with a wave and went back in the house. Kurt sniffed the air, picking up the scent of coffee, bacon and …mmmhm, freshly mowed grass that now,_ he_ didn't have to mow.

Crap, he couldn't go downstairs looking like this, in his pajamas with bedhead. What if Blaine saw him? He booted it into the shower and rushed through drying his hair and his skin routine. By the time he'd picked out an outfit Blaine was finished mowing the front though he could hear him now in the back yard. Blast! He'd better hurry or he'd miss him altogether.

Kurt went to his parent's bathroom and peered out the back window. Hot dayumn, Blaine _had_ taken off his shirt. Oooh… he looked even better than the night he had stood in Kurt's bathroom wearing only a towel. Well, maybe not better, but definitely just as scrumptious with his muscles flexing as he turned and pushed it back the other way. Kurt thundered down the stairs, making Finn, his father and Carole turn to stare at him in surprise, since he didn't normally ever enter a room like that. He slowed and continued his descent with a little more restraint.

"Good morning, all." He said coolly, making a somewhat ineffective effort to convince them he wasn't rushing down to catch a glimpse of Blaine without his shirt. The amused grins he got in return told him he wasn't fooling anybody. He heard the lawnmower shut off and decided, the hell with it, he was going outside before Blaine left or put his shirt on again or something. He shrugged back at his family as he went out the door. Let them laugh, then. He wasn't going to risk missing Blaine.

"Good Morning" he called out, with a welcoming smile as Blaine pushed the mower back toward the garage from the backyard, his chest shiny with the sweat trickling between the hairs dusting it. Kurt just happened to be standing in his path to ensure he would pass within inches of him as he gazed at him appreciatively.

God, here we were again with his pheromones making him crazy. Is that what had made Blaine light him up like a Christmas tree the first time they had met? Why the hell did everyone shower all the time, if that was the effect a little bit of sweat had? He couldn't see how smelling gross could ever be sexy.

But Blaine didn't smell at _all_ gross this time. He smelled …_mmmmmale_. Kurt inhaled Blaine's sun-warmed scent and felt a rush of hormones wash through him. Geeze, puberty had taken its own sweet time to catch up with him but it was dousing him in testosterone now. He exhaled again deeply, uncomfortable with the cramp he was feeling at the mere sight of Blaine, sweaty and shirtless.

"Hi, beautiful." Blaine said in a low voice, with an answering appreciative glance down his body in return, pausing for just a second on his jeans. Kurt felt another surge of hormones and his face flooding with a self-conscious blush. Eeep.

"You look incredible, Kurt…again. I thought I'd get the lawn out of the way before it got too hot, but man, it's pretty hot already. Unless, it's _not_ actually the sun heating me up." Blaine smirked at him, flirting easily with him. Kurt had to bite his lip to keep from squealing. God, was he for real?

"And you're all sweaty…again. Want to use my shower? Again?" Kurt said slowly, his voice coming out sounding flirty as hell. Yikes, when had he turned into a sleaze ball? Blaine nodded eagerly in answer, giving him a suggestive smile. It was _just_ a shower, Kurt told himself, trying to settle the butterflies making him all jittery.

"Let me just put this mower away again and I'll grab my duffel with some clean clothes to change into afterward. I went out this morning and got some of my own stuff, _and _I bought some deodorant, you'll be happy to know." Blaine winked at him as he went by and Kurt chuckled as he turned to watch him walking away from him, pushing the mower making the muscles in his haunches bunch with effort. Fooo, he was getting overheated now too, and it had nothing to do with exercise.

He showed Blaine into the house, with a promise that he would get some breakfast going for when he was finished. Blaine said good morning to everyone in the kitchen with a bright smile and a casual wave before he went up the steps two at a time.

Kurt watched him leave and turned around to find three sets of eyes watching him, all with various stages of amusement on their faces. "What? He's all sweaty from mowing the lawn and he doesn't have a shower at the shop. I don't mind if he uses mine." Kurt heard the snort from Finn and the chuckle from Carole, but decided to ignore them. His father did not look nearly as amused as the other two, though he went back to reading his newspaper without saying anything.

He mixed up some waffle batter and preheated the waffle iron. They were best eaten fresh from the iron, so he waited till Blaine came down the stairs again before he started them. Kurt fed him Bavarian waffles, with the fresh strawberries Carole had prepared until Blaine groaned with repletion. Kurt ate the last two waffles, grateful he'd gotten _any_. Wow, this boy could eat like a wolf.

Kurt saw his father from where he sat in his chair, occasionally peeking over his newspaper to keep a watchful eye on them. Blaine was about to make a move toward his hand when Kurt snatched it away from him, confusing him with his mixed messages. Kurt cut his eyes toward his father, so Blaine understood then and nodded back.

Mercedes arrived then a little early for their shopping trip. Kurt introduced his best friend to his…well, Blaine wasn't his boyfriend yet, but he certainly was something more than a casual acquaintance. He settled for introducing Blaine as his friend…for now. 'Cedes grinned and surprised both of them by hugging the crap out of Blaine, since she could plainly see how Kurt was looking at him. Kurt might look a little girly, but he was no shrinking violet. Once he set his sights on something he usually got it…and he wanted Blaine, Mercedes could tell.

She decided that Blaine looked…sort of _really_ hot, though he wasn't Kurt's usual type. Till now, he seemed to prefer jocks, but Blaine had a very nice bod too, she noticed when she hugged him. With any luck _this_ one was actually gay. Her gaydar apparently sucked, so hopefully Kurt knew for sure. If so, she gave Blaine no more than a couple of days to get together with her boy. Then, just when she was expecting Blaine to go along shopping with them, Blaine said he was pleased to have met her and abruptly left. Huh. So maybe he wasn't gay, after all.

That whole afternoon Kurt was totally preoccupied, responding to her questions about what to buy with an apathetic nod or a murmured "that's nice" Nice, Kurt? What the hell? What happened to fantastic, fabulous and fudpucker (their word for lame)?

Mercedes suspected she knew what he was really obsessing about. "Okay spill, Ladyhawk. Tell me about the boy. Is he gay? Have you kissed him yet?"

Kurt's quick guarded glance and deep blush answered _those _questions, though he didn't actually answer her, pretending an absorbing interest in some very mundane scarves instead with a shrug. Oh yeah. There was more going on here than met the eye.

"So what's the deal, Kurt? Why are you and the very hunky monkey not already snogging every chance you get? You aren't going to pass up grabbing some with that sweet and spicy morsel, are you? Wait, he _is_ into you too, right?" She shouldn't assume Kurt's interest was returned just because Blaine might be gay, though hot damn, Kurt was one fine looking boy. He just smiled at her coyly and shrugged without meeting her eyes.

She turned Kurt toward her in exasperation, and forced him to look at her. She was _not_ going to settle for hints and innuendo. He sighed and gave in then, knowing she wasn't going to give up till he did. Mercedes smiled to herself, with a sense of pride. They were besties, so yeah, they told each other everything, possibly because she _forced_ him to.

"You cannot tell another soul what I am about to say, okay Mercedes?" Kurt tilted his head and waited patiently until she rolled her eyes and reluctantly agreed.

"Well…Blaine was thrown out of his house by his parents because he came out at school. They were so snarked about it that they left him out on the street without any money or family or _anyone_ to help him. We found him in the park a few days later playing his guitar to get money, so Dad offered him a job and now he's living over Hummel Tires in the storage loft.

I'm afraid Dad is going to blow his ridiculously overprotective stack and toss him out again if he finds out we want to be together, so we have to play it slow and steady until he gets back on his feet and doesn't have to depend on my father for his room and board."

"But, he does like you too?" Mercedes wanted to be sure. He'd had crushes before, that had fizzled out when Kurt's attentions were rudely rebuffed, not the least of which was the boy who had ended up his step-brother. That had died a quick death, thank god, once Finn and his mother had moved in with Kurt and his dad. It seemed that this boy was actually gay and out, so that was at least a good start in the right direction.

Kurt smiled at her with a shy twinkle and nodded. "I think he _does_ like me. He sure kissed me like he does!" Mercedes squealed and hugged Kurt, making people all around the store stop and stare at them. Kurt laughed as he hugged her back. Oh my God, her baby finally had a boy that liked him back! Awesome!

They left the store arm in arm, headed for the food court. Mercedes demanded all the details about this kiss. Was there tongue? How long did it last? Who pulled away first? Did his hands go anywhere south? She had a thousand questions she wanted to ask, since her love life was currently in the drought of the century and tried not to be jealous that the gayest boy in town was getting more action than she was.

They ordered some smoothies while Kurt told Mercedes a little about the kiss he and Blaine had shared, but he didn't get too specific about the details. She didn't need to know how thoroughly erotic and sensual it had been. It had been the single raciest experience of Kurt's short life so far, though admittedly he had never even been on a date yet, much less kissed any other boys.

He drew the line when Mercedes asked if they both got wood, blushing like a thermometer in the sun, and refusing to answer her. Damn, it was frustrating trying to keep secrets from his best friend since Mercedes always assumed his silent blushes meant yes, especially since they usually _did_. She was grinning at him in triumph at his obvious embarrassment.

"Enough. Let's go shop some more. We only have another hour before I have to go home. There's a Fashion Television special on this afternoon on the Marc Jacobs new fall line that I want to catch. Do you want to watch it with me?" Kurt folded her hand over his arm, trying to distract her from uncomfortable questions about the boy he had made out with. She let him change the subject, deciding she would let him off the hook this time, but he wasn't going to hold out on her the next time she got him alone. By then they might have gotten to first base, which, she assumed with two guys, meant groping certain usually restricted parts of their anatomy.

Kurt bought a new white fitted shirt and a pair of pants in a dark maroon colour that fit like a second skin. They were made of brushed cotton that felt like velvet to the hand… not that he was expecting anyone else to touch them. He had a black vest with a narrow maroon stripe that would look fantastic with the outfit, perfect for a date. Not that he was expecting to go on one, but at least if he ever did, he would be prepared.

Dinner was nearly ready when he returned home. Carole had asked Finn to invite Blaine over for dinner, which he thought was a lovely surprise, until he found Burt, Blaine and Finn all watching a football game, with Finn and Blaine tossing a football back and forth to each other from opposite ends of the couch.

What the hell? He'd thought Blaine was _his_ friend. What kind of gay boy liked football? The answer came to him only a second later. Well, actually even _he_ had played football, if only for three games, if you counted the two he'd spent sitting on the bench. Dave Karofsky played football, and he was just as gay as Kurt was, for sure. Perhaps he had been guilty of assigning a stereotype to Blaine just as quickly as straight people did.

There was no reason Blaine shouldn't enjoy football, though his rather compact stature would ensure he got flattened to nothing but a shadow in a scrimmage if he played the game. A flash of panic came over Kurt, picturing a pile-up with Blaine under six or seven huge football players. It might _sound_ good to a gay guy but there was no fun to be had in having a half of ton of beefcake sitting on you, at least all at once. One at a time, maybe, but…oh my god, where had his mind gone? Now he was having suggestive fantasies about football players! His damn hormones were getting out of hand again. Clean it up, Kurt!

Kurt took his purchases upstairs, washed up and touched up his hair, returning in time to help Carole dish out the pot roast and roasted potatoes. He finished the gravy, and chopped some herbs for the beans while she prepared the salad, the two of them working together as a smooth team after over a year of the two of them sharing the kitchen. Carole had made room for one extra chair at the table for Blaine, thoughtfully tucked in beside Kurt's usual spot. Dinner was ready just as half time started.

The pot roast was nothing but a memory a half hour later. Every bowl almost sparkled, they were cleaned out so well. Carole might have guessed that she should have made more but she had learned that no matter how much she made, it was all eaten.

Everybody filled in any remaining chinks with dessert, a fruit trifle with sherry, a rare treat for them but Carole had craved trifle today and pulled out all the stops with fresh berries and homemade custard. Burt announced delightedly that he _loved_ when Carole had desert cravings. Kurt magnanimously let him eat all he wanted without nagging, since trifle was actually fairly low fat.

Blaine had eaten till he was ready to burst and was blinking sleepily as he held his hand over his somehow still flat belly. Kurt watched him, wondering how he managed to look like that on what he ate, before he remembered that Blaine might be storing it up like a camel, never knowing where his next meal was coming from. He decided he would bake Blaine some cookies to take home with him as soon as he could.

The boys cleaned up the kitchen after supper, Blaine volunteering to wash the pots while Kurt loaded the dishwasher and Finn cleaned up the table and the kitchen. They talked music, discussing their favorite artists and tunes. Blaine said mournfully that he missed his IPod, with years of his favourite music loaded on it. What really sucked, was that he knew his parents would likely just dump all his stuff in a donation bin. They were all quiet for a minute or two until Blaine realized the boys were feeling sorry for him. He flashed them a smile and shrugged. "Good thing I have my guitar, right? I can play nearly any song I want on that, if I can remember the lyrics."

"Hey man, I've got an IPod I don't use any more. You want to use it?" Finn offered generously. He'd recently upgraded his phone with his first paycheck and now all his music was loaded on it.

Blaine looked torn, really missing having some music when he was alone at night, but not wanting to feel like everybody's favourite charity.

"It's no big deal, man. If you want, you can give it back when you're done with it or if you get your own back. I have a ton of music on there, too. You're welcome to use my computer if you want to set up some of your own playlists sometime." Finn said encouragingly. I'll go get it, and you can check it out." Finn thumped down his stairway and returned in a few minutes and gave Blaine the IPod and charger, and accessories in a small case.

Blaine gave in then, touched by Finn's generosity. "That's awesome, Finn. Thank you. But…I don't have any speakers. I like to play along on my guitar and ear buds get tangled in the frets. I still have some of my pay though, so I think I'm going to go get some little desk ones. They have good ones that are small and portable…in case I have to move again."

Blaine said the last part very quietly, aware that his current situation with the Hummels might be very temporary. He was only there because Burt was being so generous. He was so very grateful to have met the whole Hudson-Hummel family that fateful day at lunch in the park, especially the one who ensured he was always standing nearby. Kurt kept catching his eye and giving him looks that Blaine was sure meant that he returned his interest. He wanted to do something about that.

"Kurt, would you maybe consider driving me to the mall to look for some speakers?" Blaine made his move after they were done with the kitchen, hoping the trip would give them a chance to talk alone. Kurt smiled as if Blaine had said something brilliant.

"Of course I would! I know exactly where to look. I found some for Brittany's birthday, but Santana said she'd already got her some. Are you ready to go now?" Kurt replied excitedly, already unhooking his keys from the front closet. Finn was about to invite himself along to go the mall with them when he changed his mind. Even _he_ had noticed that those two really didn't want his company, so focused on each other that they often didn't even hear what he said to them.

"Yeah, I'm all set." Blaine said eagerly, putting on his shoes, deciding as he did, that he needed new shoes when he got his next check. These were looking gross after getting wet too often and working in the tire shop for a few days. He thought longingly of the twenty pairs in his closet at home, probably also headed for the donation bin.

"Hey Dad and Carole, we're going to the store to get Blaine some speakers. See you in an hour or two." Kurt called as they left. Kurt's father made a non-committal "Ummhmm" sound as he finished his newspaper and Carole just waved bye from where she was watching TV, so Finn headed downstairs again to see if Puck was busy.

Once the two boys got into Kurt's Nav, Blaine spent about two seconds missing his own car, before he cut out the self-pity, deciding there was no point in mourning his lost life. He was started on a new one now, where everyone would be aware of who he really was. It was finally starting to feel like it might end up a good trade.

Kurt led them right to the speakers and Blaine considered which pair to buy. The ones he really wanted cost more than he had left and he was afraid the cheap ones were going to sound crappy. Kurt bit his lip for a few minutes, seeing his dilemma, before he offered a proposal. He would lend Blaine thirty bucks as a cash advance and then deduct it from his paycheck when he made it up. Blaine agreed, since he had already earned more than that.

"Hey, it's one of the advantages of dating the boss' kid." Kurt said, to lighten the mood a little, then realized he had said he assumed that Blaine wanted to date him. "Oh wait…I didn't mean…" He stuttered out as he blushed one of his more stupendous blushes, trying to backpedal.

"It's just one of them, Kurt" Blaine said, smiling to let him know he was fine with the inference. "The fact that he's super-hot is another." He added with a wink, making Kurt blush even more. No one had _ever_ said seriously that he was hot before, much less super-hot. "Do you want to help me set these up back at my place?" He asked Kurt, hoping he would say yes. He did!

They went back to Kurt's truck where Kurt kept up a constant chatter the whole way to the garage. Blaine wondered what the hell was up with him. He suddenly was sounding nervous as hell, though he'd never sounded nervous before. Didn't he want to be with him? He'd thought all those coy glances and flirty smiles were telling him he did. Blaine had never had a boyfriend before and he felt so lame, sure he was screwing this up somehow and possibly misinterpreting Kurt's interest.

Kurt parked the truck at the side of the shop, parking in his accustomed spot automatically, but he didn't make any moves to get out. Blaine already had his door open and one foot out, when he realized Kurt was still sitting frozen in his seat, staring out the windshield.

"What's wrong, Kurt? Was I just imagining that you wanted to spend some time with me?" Blaine was afraid that he had turned Kurt off somehow. The thought of being alone together to say and do whatever they wanted was his idea of heaven… So, maybe Kurt didn't want to be more than friends, although Blaine could have sworn he did.

"I just…I'm a little nervous about going to your place...alone." Kurt confessed quietly, with a slow glance over to Blaine.

"I swear I'll behave myself, if that's what is worrying you." Blaine held his hand up in a pledge and grinned at Kurt playfully, really hoping that Kurt would change his mind. He wanted to play some music with him and talk and just hang out with the most marvellous boy in the world, badly enough to try to hold back his baser impulses to flatten him into the bed and kiss him stupid.

"But, I don't know that_ I_ can swear to that." Kurt said quietly in response, giving him a wry look, and making Blaine stop short in surprise. What! Did Kurt just say that _he_ wanted to mess around with _him_ too?

"I'm pretty sure that I'll end up jumping you and kiss the crap out of you and then…then we're gonna be in deep trouble if my dad finds out and he _will_ too. He knows me really well, Blaine, so I'm pretty sure he'll know if we do anything. I just don't want to risk him getting mad at _you_."

"What if we promise to stay four feet away from each other at all times. Would you come upstairs then?" Blaine asked. He didn't want to go back to his room, alone and lonely when Kurt was right here with him.

"I guess we can make sure we're careful. I really like just being with you too, Blaine. I've never had a boyfriend, or even a gay friend before. Having somebody to share things with would be so nice. We don't have to get into anything else, right?"

Kurt sounded to Blaine like he was trying to talk himself into believing they could be just friends, so he nodded encouragingly, agreeing with Kurt. He'd do anything to spend more time with him, even if they didn't get into anything physical yet. He was happy to wait until Kurt was ready to move on to the next phase of their relationship.

"If you want, I'll pretend you're a girl, okay? Like you were Mercedes, all right?" Blaine said with a laugh, cracking Kurt up.

"Well, you don't have to go _that_ far, though according to the football team, its not a very big stretch to imagine I'm a girl. I guess we'll just put our attraction on the back burner. I have to admit it's there Blaine, but I can deal with it. Sure! Let's go up." Kurt gave him an encouraging smile and opened his car door. Blaine couldn't help his pleased grin.

A/N: Anybody have a guess about what might happen in Chapter 6 when these two get together alone? Yup, You're right! Sparks fly.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch 6

The two boys went into the darkened shop, Blaine watching carefully as Kurt turned off the alarm and then reset it. He appreciated Kurt walking him through the night time procedure to enter the shop. He wasn't sure anymore where to find the light switches, or where it was safe to walk with the open pits and shadowy equipment everywhere. Burt had showed him how to disarm and rearm the alarm but finding his way through the darkened shop to the stairs and weaving through the shelves to where his space was, would have been much more intimidating without Kurt to lead the way. He knew this place like the back of his hand.

"Wow, I can't believe how well you know where everything is. But, I guess you've been around this place your whole life." Blaine said, trying to stay close enough to stay with Kurt but not be in his space. Their footsteps echoed in the silent shop as they went up the stairway and made their way through the shelves to Blaine's sanctuary.

"Yeah, that's what gave me the idea. I had sort of a play room up there in the loft when I was a little kid. After my Mom died, I had to come to the shop after school until Dad could go home. He tried babysitters, but I hated it there, so I would come here and do my homework and then pretend I was on a stage and act out stories and sing songs up in the storeroom. I was safely out of the way, but close enough to keep an eye on, I guess. It's always been one of my favourite places."

Kurt thought of all the countless daydreams he'd had in that room of various faceless men romancing him through the years he'd spent up there. It had always been men, from his earliest recollections. Prince Charming had always been the one waking _him_ with a kiss, never himself waking a sleeping princess. He knew that was one of the major reasons why he was hesitant about being there alone with Blaine, the personification of Prince Charming. He already had built this moment into more than it _should_ mean for them with years of hopes and dreams.

They set the speakers up, and listened to music while they sat and talked to each other eagerly. It didn't sound like much, but they both loved music and they found endless common interests to talk about, music being the major one. They discussed their favourite Broadway musicals, which Kurt had never done with a boy before. Rachel and Mercedes shared his passion for the Great White Way, but none of the Glee guys cared much, even Finn, who had sung quite a few Broadway hits with Rachel. Kurt replaced Finn's IPod with his, to play Blaine some of his favourite musicals.

Blaine was unashamed of his fascination with love stories set to music. Kurt agreed with him wholeheartedly when he said music had been his escape, his refuge from a world that refused to accept him. He said that music helped him convey emotions he couldn't express adequately in any other way, much like being able to speak two languages simultaneously. The songs he sang and listened to were a way to vicariously experience things he'd had no other opportunity to endure...yet. He privately hoped the passion he felt for this graceful and gorgeous boy might be returned some day and together they could explore some of those things first hand.

The boys were singing along with "I've Never Been In Love Before" in a duet from Guys and Dolls with Blaine recreating ...or maybe creating some of the choreography, his hands stretched wide at his sides as he twirled across the room as Kurt watched in enjoyment. He reached for Kurt's hand with a hopeful glance when he landed next to him and Kurt reached out and took it, unable to resist joining him on their imaginary stage.

Blaine smiled at him happily and went into the next chorus, spinning Kurt in front of him, until he was dizzy and stumbling, both of them laughing. He lurched into Blaine and they both stopped singing abruptly, as Kurt grabbed a handful of his T-shirt in one hand and the other rested on Blaine's chest to stay upright…and then they were face to face only inches apart, with their pulses thundering in their veins, the music fading away from their awareness.

Their good intentions went right out the window as they both gave into temptation and their lips met. Then they were clutching at each other, with Kurt letting out little whimpers of helpless reaction that were making Blaine growl at him in return. He ran his hands up Kurt's back to pull him closer, feeling his muscles warm and firm. One travelled father upward to his shoulder and the other went downward to the waistband of his pants, as his tongue traced Kurt's teeth and toyed with his tongue.

Kurt's pants looked fairly snug to Blaine, but there was room for his fingers to sneak down into them a couple of inches, thrilling him by rubbing the rise of Kurt's buttock, with just his underwear between his hand and his skin, making him desperately wish he could reach in farther.

Kurt was on fire, lost in a swirling sea of unexpected sensations. He just wanted to feel more, more hands, more lips, more of Blaine's skin against him. He'd imagined a thousand times what it would feel like to hold a man and be held by one and the reality surpassed his imagination by leaps and bounds. He could smell Blaine's shower wash on his warm skin, and taste his mouth against his and his tongue exploring his mouth and toying with his. His could feel Blaine's back under his roaming hands and his shoulders flexing under his hands as their lips shifted and adjusted to each other's movements instinctively.

They staggered together, forgetting to watch their balance as they lost any awareness of where they were. Blaine knew the bed was just a couple steps away and took the two steps, bringing Kurt along with him. It wasn't until Kurt was pressed into the bed that he realized he was lying down, with Blaine pressed over him from shoulder to knees. Now they could focus only on each other, relieved of having to stand. His legs came up and tried to hold Blaine even closer to his body, without conscious thought, his instincts in total control.

The heat of their embrace climbed even higher as they felt and touched and licked and kissed. Buttons were undone, with kisses and soft gasps and moans dropped on the overheated skin revealed. Kurt pulled up on Blaine's T-shirt to feel more of him and then finally pulled it over his head to revel in the feel of Blaine's smoothly muscled back, with his nails scratching him lightly like a cat.

Then he felt his own shirt come undone with his undershirt pushed high up his chest. Blaine's chest was flush against his, and the contact of all that skin pressed together felt incredible, though not as fantastic as the feel of his hips against his. They were both rocking into each other and now they were both panting, and moaning and whispering words. "mmm…good" "yesss" "there, kiss me there, "harder…oh, oh". The muttered sounds enhanced the tantalizing scent of each other's skin, and the firm feel of a man's body, driving them both way beyond anything they'd done before, and miles beyond anywhere they had ever anticipated going tonight.

Kurt was trying regain some control but he was unable resist one more kiss, one more taste of Blaine, one more answering thrust of his hips in search of more tantalizing friction.

Suddenly, without warning, all the sensations gathered into a supernova that gathered and exploded into a climax of pure pleasure firing throughout every nerve in his body. He felt ecstatic shudders go through him, his body firing off waves of incredible euphoria.

He distantly felt Blaine still thrusting strongly against him, the friction now beginning to approach excruciating and unlocked his ankles from around his thighs. Then he felt him tense and bite his bared shoulder with a groan. Kurt shuddered again, feeling another shot of pleasure fire through him as he heard Blaine's soft "ugh, ugh, ugh" sounds of completion. Why didn't Blaine's teeth in his skin hurt? He felt Blaine's hips judder against him, as he made one last groaning sound of grateful release, making him turn his head and kiss him again on his damp lightly-stubbled cheek, glad he'd gotten to experience heaven too.

Softly, slowly, they relaxed into each other, their breath slowing and their hands relaxing their clutched fingers into soothing rubbing motions against damp skin. A floating ease came over Kurt's body, leaving him feeling contented and relaxed as he held the weight of Blaine's boneless body on his.

His shocked surprise at what had happened was still remote, his wonder at how quickly it had all unfolded, not yet completely sunk in. Blaine let out a long slow breath against Kurt and then left a soft grateful kiss on his neck too. Kurt smiled and sighed with a soft hum in return. After one more breath, he felt the bliss start to fade and aghast astonishment set in.

Oh my god, they'd both come in their pants! Frottage. The word popped into Kurt's head unbidden. He saw it again, printed halfway down a list of sexual terms in those damn folders that had explained them all clinically. His father had made him read them when they had the 'talk', in one of the most excruciating events of his life after Carol discovered he had a crush on Finn.

Those pamphlets had traumatized him into believing he might never want to have sex for the rest of his life, but if this was any indication of how incredible sex felt, he would have to reconsider that decision.

The term was French, Kurt recalled, for grinding, humping, or 'mutual sexual stimulation without using the hands'. Who knew humping could feel so good? He snorted internally to himself. It certainly sounded a lot more elegant in French. He'd never yell at Mercedes' dog Frodo for doing that to his leg again, even if it was rude.

Blaine rolled off of him then to his side, with a gasp of oversensitivity. Their eyes met, both of them blushing deeply, taken aback at how completely helpless to stop they had felt, once they had kissed, like being a passenger on an out of control train rocketing down the tracks toward an inevitable explosion.

"Oh my god, Kurt. I'm so sorry! I promised I'd behave, and now look what happened. But, holy smokes, that was fantastic, baby." Geeze, Kurt was absolutely incredible. Blaine had no idea that making out could feel like …holy shit. Had he and Kurt just had sex?

"You didn't go there alone Blaine. I told you I didn't trust myself, either." Kurt admitted sheepishly. Wait…had they just had sex? Discussions with his friends had decided them that anything that ended with an orgasm was sex, so that meant that, officially, he was no longer a virgin. Kurt was stunned that he had given it up only the second time he had kissed Blaine after less than ten minutes of frantic humping. There was a _name_ for people like that.

Mercedes had accused him of being repressed because he preferred romantic movies to watching hetero couples getting it on, but apparently he had only needed the right incentive to awaken his sexuality, with a bang...so to speak. Wow! His body knew exactly what to do, even if he never guessed it.

Kurt raised himself to his elbows, scrunching his face in awkward discomfort. Eww. They could both feel the cooling traces in their underwear left behind by their passion, as they sent matching faces of repugnance to each other. What, he wondered, was he going to do about _that_ here at the shop with only a sink and some paper towels? No _way _could he go home smelling of sex or this would be the shortest romance in the history of man.

Blaine swung his legs down to the floor, and turned to glance back at Kurt, still looking so incredibly appealing in his bed. His hair was all messed up and his eyes had a post-sex dreamy expression Blaine wanted to put on his face more often. He looked sort of wrecked, actually, with his clothes still pushed up and aside, revealing acres of delectable soft skin he wanted to spend more time exploring. Kurt was watching him with a matching expression and then smiled coyly. Blaine assumed he looked just as wrecked and smiled back at him.

"Did you want to use the bathroom first?" His soft question sounded so domestic, like something they'd say if they were living together. It sent a thrill through him that far outweighed the inconvenience of cleaning up the results of messing around. Blaine smiled to himself dopily, thinking that though he and Kurt had only recently met, that he might have found the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

Kurt nodded and got out the other side of the bed and hurried down to the washroom before his jeans showed anything incriminating. Paper towels were little help in cleaning up, so he rinsed out his boxers and used those to wash himself. He decided to throw them away and go au naturel, but he couldn't leave the soaked boxers in the garbage where someone might see them, so he took them back with him to Blaine's loft, deciding to leave them there. By the time he got back to Blaine, he had removed his jeans and was waiting for him clad in only his boxers, with a big wet spot showing on the front of them.

Kurt stared, feeling his body react to Blaine's nearly naked one again with another twitch. Geeze, he'd only _just_ gotten off. How could he be turned on again? Blaine shared a shy smile with him. "I didn't want my jeans to get stained. I only have the two pairs of pants for work. Sorry if this seems a little brazen."

"I can bring you more clothes, Blaine. I have all kinds of stuff I don't wear anymore that might fit you. And we can get you some coveralls to wear for work, if you want. They help cut down on the laundry, but they can be really warm to wear in the summer, so most of us don't bother."

"Thanks Kurt. And not just for the offer of clothes. That was… _awesome! _ I'd really love if you would be my boyfriend." Blaine looked at him with his eyes soft and longing, the strains of "Luck Be a Lady Tonight" still playing in the background.

Kurt nodded readily, thinking he would love nothing better. "Yes, Blaine, I'd _love_ to be your boyfriend. Besides, I don't want you to think I'm a skank. I've actually never done anything like that before." He admitted his inexperience shyly, barely able to meet Blaine's eyes. He still couldn't believe what had happened only the second time they had kissed. He felt like he'd been bewitched by a love spell…or more correctly, a lust spell.

"I think you're the most incredible guy I've ever met. And I've never done anything like that before either, Kurt. I'm glad the first time was with you … boyfriend." Blaine smiled at him lovingly and took a step toward him.

"Me too, boyfriend." Kurt met Blaine halfway and kissed him again, quickly losing himself in the warm soft feel of Blaine on his lips, though the passion burned a little softer now. This time he wasn't consumed without warning. Blaine pulled away after a minute or two, with a fond but regretful smile.

"I have to go clean up before it dries on, since I don't have a shower here. Wait right here and hold that thought." He quickly kissed Kurt's upturned nose with a smile and left, grabbing his pile of clothes as he left.

Kurt scrunched his shoulders ecstatically as he watched him leave with a huge grin. Yay! They were officially boyfriends! He was still staring at the empty hallway happily when he heard his phone sound the "It's My Life" tone for Finn's messages.

"_Y'd btr get yr ass hr asap, Burt z ranting 2 Mom whr r u. Storz r clzd 4 2 hrs_." Kurt checked the time on his phone apprehensively. Holy crap, it was 11:15! Fifteen minutes past his curfew. Where had the night gone? Now he was likely in trouble, and his dad was probably going to be mad at Blaine too, even if he didn't guess what had happened between them.

He gathered his jacket and went down to wait till Blaine came out, dressed again. "I'm sorry, I have to go now. Finn says Dad is upset about me being gone for so long. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"I'll come over and we'll spend some time together. Can I have a goodnight kiss?" Blaine reached out his arms to Kurt in invitation with an eager glint in his eyes.

"You bet!" Kurt went to his new boyfriend and they shared one last kiss, ending with a pop as they separated. "Goodnight then, till the morrow dawns." Ahhhhh! He had a _boyfriend_! Now he just had to convince his dad it wasn't Blaine's fault that he was so late.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow... Geeze, I hope you're not this cheesy all the time, or I might have to reconsider." Blaine said with a swat to Kurt's butt and a fond laugh.

Kurt giggled as he left Blaine with a wave. Okay, admittedly thatwas ridiculously cheesy. "I'll try to restrain myself then. G'night."

Kurt inhaled a bracing breath when he got back into his truck. He had a boyfriend! Aaaand, now his father was already annoyed at him disappearing for hours with said boyfriend. It was time to go home and face the music. He had to try to ensure his father didn't blame Blaine for him being so late without telling him where he was.

He texted his father to say he'd be home in a few minutes before he left. He ran through all kinds of excuses on his way home and finally decided that an expurgated version of the truth was his only option. He didn't want to hide from his father that he and Blaine were boyfriends or seeing each other would become even more complicated. Besides, he had never lied to his dad and he didn't want to start now. His father knew him too well to believe he and Blaine hadn't at least done _some_ making out. But for all their sakes, it would be best if he never knew about the wildfire that had resulted when they let the spark between them ignite.

His father had always tried to be understanding about him being gay. Hopefully he could handle knowing he and Blaine were boyfriends now and that he was ready to do more than just _say_ he was gay, without his father's protective instincts kicking in. Kurt entered the house as quietly as he could, hoping his father would already be in bed and they could talk tomorrow when he and his boyfriend's actions weren't so fresh in his memory, but knew that was wishful thinking. His parents were both watching TV, obviously waiting up for him to return. He hung up his jacket and went to sit down in the living room with them, thinking it would be better to go face them voluntarily, than be summoned there.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Dad and Carole. We went back to Blaine's place to hook up the speakers and lost track of time while we were talking. I completely forgot to call to tell you where I was."

"Kurt, I'm not comfortable with you being over there alone with him." Burt began, ominously. "I'm not gonna ground you because I had a pretty good idea where you were, but you can't just go there and hang out with him till all hours."

"Dad, we're not fourteen and you _know_ Blaine is a good guy. Just because he's gay doesn't mean he's a predator. You wouldn't worry like this if I was at Mercedes place." Kurt defended himself and Blaine resentfully, though he knew his dad was totally justified in his concern. Hopefully, he didn't ask too many questions because Kurt would never outright lie to his father.

"Mercedes is _not_ gay, Kurt. Blaine _is_. I've seen how you two look at each other. Can you honestly tell me you two just talked and played music tonight?"

There it was. Kurt father came right out and cornered him, making it impossible to avoid admitting they had done more than talk…and they'd done much more. Kurt flushed, but held his father's eyes without flinching away. He knew his blush told his father the truth anyway.

"No… we didn't _just_ talk, Dad. Blaine asked me to be his boyfriend, and boyfriends kiss. Is that what's really bothering you? That I want to _act_ on being gay now, instead of just saying it? That Blaine being gay is fine with you, but only as long as he doesn't act on it either? Especially with me?" Kurt pinned his father down with a direct question too, needing to know how far his father was willing to accept his orientation, now that he was growing up and ready to start exploring his sexuality.

Burt stared at Kurt, suddenly realizing that was _exactly _his problem. He wanted Kurt to stay his little boy. It was much easier than thinking of him in a sexual relationship with another man, even with the boy that he was already becoming very fond of, that he had rescued precisely because his parents refused to entertain those very same thoughts.

"Okay, maybe you have a valid point. I'll admit that_ is_ part of my problem. But, I'm your father, Kurt. Gay or straight, it's my job to make sure you don't get in over your head. You two just met a few days ago. If you and Blaine want to be boyfriends, okay. I'll learn to accept that, just like I learned to accept everything else about you. But I can't let either of you two get into something you're not ready for."

"A physical relationship is something that should begin only once you've been in an emotional one for a while and you've gotten to know and trust each other. Until then, its asking for trouble to let you hang out at Blaine's place where the temptation to do too much, too soon, is too strong and there's nothing to stop you from acting on it. I would like your promise that you won't go there alone again until I agree it's okay." Burt waited for Kurt to give him his pledge. He saw the resistance on Kurt's face and hoped this wouldn't turn into a battle of wills. His son could be headstrong sometimes.

Kurt knew in his heart that his father was right. The fact that he was sitting on their couch with no underwear on clearly demonstrated how little self-control they had. A very large part of him wanted nothing more than to hide out alone with Blaine at his place and get down and dirty with him every chance they had. He had little choice in the matter though, if he didn't want Blaine evicted.

He agreed reluctantly. "Okay dad. I promise to not be alone with Blaine at his place, until you agree it's okay. Can he come here though, when you guys _are_ around?" Kurt asked his father hopefully.

Burt nodded reluctantly to his son, as he looked at him earnestly with those blue eyes exactly like his mother's. He realized he was going to have to accept the idea that his son was going to have a sexual relationship with a man and at least he approved of Blaine. "Yeah, sure he can. He can't be in your room with the door shut anymore, but he _is_ welcome here. I still like Blaine, even if he is your boyfriend now, Kurt."

Kurt beamed at his father gratefully, content with their pact. Carole smiled too, at their agreement. She and Burt had talked about the boys, when Kurt was running so late, well aware that they were probably tempted to explore their attraction. Hopefully, Kurt's good sense would keep their experimentation to baby steps for a while.

Carole had reassured Burt that Kurt was his son, and that she would mind her own business, but she believed that both boys were good kids and just needed some parental direction to channel feelings they were unaccustomed to dealing with yet. Luckily, Burt had calmed down a lot between his initial alarm at the two boys being gone for so long and when Kurt had returned looking a little rumpled with swollen lips and his collar awry, obviously having already taken the first steps into a romantic relationship.

Kurt hugged his father and Carole and said goodnight before he went upstairs to bed to relive the most momentous night of his life. Both his parents noticed that he smelled of Blaine's cologne or hair gel or whatever it was, another telltale sign that the boys had gotten closer than Burt was comfortable with. Kurt had been honest about it though, which was comforting, though Burt wondered exactly _how_ close they might have gotten. He didn't have the courage to ask for any more details though, since Kurt would likely tell him and he didn't think he was ready yet to know that much.

He gave Carole a slightly desperate look as he stood to go to bed. Carole put her arm around him sympathetically, understanding how difficult it was for her husband to watch his son take another giant step away from him toward adulthood. She understood completely because her son was taking the same steps with his girlfriend and she was frightened too.

It was terrifying seeing your kids risking the kind of pain heartbreak can bring, but that's a huge part of growing up too. Relationships are hard sometimes and experience can be a tough mistress….or master, as the case may be.

A/N In Chapter 7, Burt attempts reconciliation with Blaine and his parents. Any guesses for how that turns out?


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: This turned into a longer chapter than I anticipated, so the meeting with the senior Andersons will be included in the next chapter, already mostly written. Kurt and Blaine' new relationship had to be introduced to Burt and the other family members first.**

* * *

Mercedes' ring tone, _You are so Beautiful_ woke Kurt from a deep restful sleep the next morning. He stretched out his toes like a cat before he reached for his phone, answering sleepily. "Hhmornin, 'Cedes", and heard her chuckle in response.

"Its time to get up and shine your light on the world, Beautiful. I'm back from church already and I'll bet you haven't even got your little white butt out of bed yet, do you?." She spoke cheerfully, as usual. He smiled, happy to hear her voice. She really was a ray of light in his life.

"Why would I want to get up? You're cutting into my beauty sleep, I hope you realize." Kurt answered lazily, pushing his hair out of his face and rolling to his back. He raised his knee to take the weight of his covers off the morning erection tenting his pajamas. Geeze, down boy, he thought to himself, willing it to go away while he was talking to his best friend. It soon began to subside with the lack of anything interesting going on.

Sheesh, considering all the testosterone that he must be flooded with, you'd think that he would have to shave sometime soon. He ran a hand over his chin and imagined that maybe his peach fuzz _was_ getting a little thicker. Maybe he would shave it off today with the razor and shave gel Blaine had left in his bathroom, and it would grow in again thicker. He was getting damn tired of everyone but Blaine treating him like he was thirteen.

Mercedes got his attention again when she answered him. "Because I'm coming over there in a bit and I don't want to wait to talk to youwhile you get gorgeous in your bathroom . I gotta hear all about this date with Blainey-boy. Rachel says that you and him were getting it on last night." Kurt stared at his phone in dismay. Finn had lost no time telling in Rachel everything he knew and some that he'd probably only guessed because of his late return from Blaine's place.

"I'm going to _kill_ Finn." He growled threateningly in a low voice that sounded nothing like him. Mercedes laughed exuberantly at his reaction.

"Hahaha! Get your little ass in gear 'cause I ain't waitin'. Put your pants on first honey, 'cause you are gonna have company in your bathroom if you're not done. Its kinda pouring out there today so Daddy said he'd drive me there in half an hour, sharp." Mercedes cut off the call and he was left looking at his phone, with a chuckle at his best friend. She _would_ crash his bathroom if he wasn't out when she got there, he knew, or at least try to. He hadn't forgotten he was a guy, even if she sometimes seemed to think he was her girlfriend.

He wished he could call Blaine and talk to him, but he was comforted by knowing his boyfriend was coming over after lunch time, so they could be together. Kurt hugged himself with happiness at the thought of seeing him again. He'd finally found a boy who seemed to be just as interested as he was in him.

He got up and was showered, dressed and moisturized, but still finishing his hair when Mercedes arrived. She greeted Carole and Burt with a smile and a wave on the way by, but proceeded on to Kurt's room without asking their permission. They were all comfortable with her going up to Kurt's room any time. She went straight to his bathroom and opened the door, nodding with satisfaction when she saw he was dressed.

"Hi, sweet cheeks. Can I see your hickeys?" She asked him eagerly, crowding into the bathroom with him, pulling his sweater away from his neck and inspecting him. He giggled and leaned away from her, flailing ineffectively at her grasping hands. She didn't give up though and crowed enthusiastically when she found the bite mark that Kurt forgotten he had, on the cap of his shoulder.

"Oh my _god_, you got him so hot he _bit_ you? Awesome, you _got_ some, babe! Is he a great kisser? Did you leave any evidence on him? How far did you let him go? Was there bare skin? _Talk_, damn it. I'm dying here!" She dragged him out of the bathroom and over to his bed, where she pulled him down beside her.

Kurt laughed self-consciously, blushing like a tomato again at her questions, as he straightened the sweater again self-consciously. "I'm _not_ telling you about my whole love life, Mercedes. Forget it! But yeah, he's an awesome kisser…an amazing kisser. God, I never knew kissing could be like that." He rolled his eyes and grinned at her.

"Okay, I _got_ that you like kissing him. How much skin was there?" She stared at him, with her eyes alight, eager to relive every moment, completely undaunted by his reluctance to talk about it. She was going to worm some information out of him, if it killed her.

"Well, there was sooome…He had his shirt off." He admitted shyly, picking imaginary lint off his jeans. Mercedes squealed in excitement, making Kurt leap to smother her mouth with his hand in a panic. If his parents heard her, they would know exactly what they were talking about.

"Shhh! For god's sake Mercedes, a little discretion is called for here. I don't want my parents to know about it. I got home kinda late last night and Dad was all 'you're too young for a physical relationship' so now I can't go over there alone anymore."

Mercedes hooted at his voice lowering two octaves to imitate his father and then put up her hand with a smirk, volunteering wordlessly to accompany him to Blaine's place any time as their chaperon. Kurt laughed at her in exasperation, knowing she would gladly watch them making out. She was probably more invested in his love life than he was, though both of them had long dreamed of the day they finally had somebody to experience romance with.

"Dad said Blaine can still come over here to our house, though. He's coming over this afternoon actually, in about an hour or two. Want to hang out with us for while?" Just because he had a boyfriend now didn't mean he should bail on his best friend.

"Sure Babe, I would love to hang out and watch you make out with the man you're going to marry one day. I guess I'll have to be your third wheel until I find a wheel of my own. I'm gonna be your kids' godmother, you know, cause _somebody_ has to church those babies. I hope they have your eyes." She commented, offhandedly as they prepared to go downstairs together. "Your boy's eyebrows look like two caterpillars making out on his face."

Kurt frowned at her criticism of his boyfriend, but didn't respond. He _liked_ Blaine's eyebrows. They were cute and fuzzy, like the rest of him, but it was possible he was slightly blinded by the hearts in his eyes. "Mercedes, we're two _guys_ here. No uterus and no gay babies." Kurt said over his shoulder to her wryly, opening his door. He did sort of want kids one day though. He just knew his parents would be fantastic grandparents.

"Meh, there are ways around that. Maybe by then, they can mix your DNA and you can have a baby with _both _your genes. That would be awesome, to mix two hotties' genes in one baby, wouldn't it? If I'm still waitin for my own prince, I might even carry it for you."

Kurt just chuckled at her cracked scientific theories and led the way downstairs. That whole marriage and kids thing was years away, but who knew what might happen. He decided they should make some oatmeal raisin cookies for Blaine. They were his favourites and Blaine had better love them too, if they were going to have any kind of future together.

They had just taken the first batch out of the oven when Blaine arrived, his hoodie damp, his shoes soaked again and his hair exceedingly curly from having walked there in the drizzle. Kurt felt a pang of guilt, never even thinking about Blaine having to walk everywhere while he had a vehicle at his disposal just sitting there in the driveway. What kind of crummy boyfriend was _he_? He obviously needed a lot more practice at this.

Kurt's father was just finishing making himself a sandwich as Blaine entered the kitchen. "Hello, Mr. Hummel. " Blaine said to him, his voice softly tentative, hoping he wasn't in trouble with his rescuer.

"Hi Blaine. Relax. My name's Burt, remember?" He sighed at the boy looking at him with those big brown eyes as if he was expecting him to yell at him or something. He suspected he'd have a tough time ever staying mad at Blaine.

"Kurt tells me you two are boyfriends now. I guess I'm okay with that, as long as you treat him right. You know what I _mean_ by that, do you?"

Blaine nodded wordlessly, with a quick nervous glance to Kurt, who had turned red with mortification. He figured it probably meant they had better not be caught messing around together. Mercedes was watching both the boys, noting both of them looked positively guilt-ridden.

"Right…and _you'd_ better behave yourself too." Burt directed a pointed finger to Kurt, who widened his eyes innocently at his father's inference. "Blaine is my responsibility too for now, so keep your hands off him."

"Dad!" Kurt cringed with embarrassment as Mercedes bumped her shoulder into him with a teasing snort. Blaine couldn't help a tiny quirk of amusement sneaking out at his boyfriend's blush, remembering how his hands had wandered all over him. Burt saw him struggle to hold in the smirk and then lightened up at them both.

"Oh relax, Kurt. I'm just doing the scary Dad thing because that's part of my job description. I do remember once being seventeen myself …better than I'd ever want to tell you about. I know very well what you two were probably doing last night, but if you keep it to making out for now, I can deal with it. Just let the rest wait for a while, until we're_ all _ready to deal with more. Are we agreed, gentlemen?"

"Yes, sir" Blaine agreed smartly, relieved to have his boyfriend's father's permission for that much.

"Thank you Dad." Kurt said, with a grateful, if slightly embarrassed expression. His father was actually giving him permission to make out with his boyfriend!

"Blaine, you're welcome to hang out down here or go to Kurt's room if you leave the door open, but you have to stay off his bed. I'll be checking on you both occasionally if you're up there alone together, so keep it PG and we'll all stay friends. By the way Mercedes, you're welcome to hang out with the boys anytime you want too. It'll save me a trip up the stairs, if I know you're here with them."

"Sure, Burt. I think we were just gonna finish making these cookies for now. Um, Kurt, before we do that, d'you maybe want to get your boy into something dry? Blaine is looking seriously soggy, man".

She put out her hand to feel s the shoulder of Blaine's wet hoodie, and then pulled on one of his wet curls. When she let go, it sprang back into a tight coil. She giggled, thinking it was nearly as curly as hers when she didn't treat it, as he backed his head away from her with an annoyed eye roll. Why did people always laugh at his curls, when his hair got wet? Was he a freaking _cupie_ doll or something?

Kurt immediately went into fussing boyfriend mode and took him upstairs to get him into some dry clothes, with Mercedes tagging along to chaperon them. She briefly went back down again after a few minutes to rescue the next tray of cookies, leaving Kurt burrowing in his closet boxes looking for something cozy for Blaine to wear, and Blaine about to peel off the wet hoodie.

When she returned quietly up the stairs a couple minutes later, he was bare from the waist up, rubbing his hair with a towel from Kurt's bathroom, with goose bumps pebbling his skin and his nipples tightened into tight points. His boyfriend was staring at Blaine's half naked body in open-mouthed fascination, until he suddenly realized he might catch a chill if he didn't soon get warm.

Kurt dropped the warm shirt, cardigan and dry jeans he'd found on the bed nearby while he rearranged the towel around Blaine and then rubbed his shoulders and arms in a poorly disguised ploy to fondle his boyfriend. Blaine smiled appreciatively and leaned in to say a proper hello to his boyfriend, suddenly not feeling chilled at all anymore.

Mercedes tiptoed silently into the room, going unnoticed long enough to spend a couple minutes admiring their technique. Go Babe, she thought as Kurt ran his hands under the towel to caress Blaine's sides as they kissed with their eyes closed, adjusting their lips into more perfect alignment. Blaine dropped his hands down to Kurt's waist to hold him closer. He was just starting to worm the fingers of his hand into his pants when Mercedes put a hand over her mouth to stifle her gasp.

They whirled around to make sure it wasn't Burt who had caught them. Good thing it wasn't because whoa, Kurt's eyes were smokin' hot and Blaine was already panting audibly when they turned around. Kurt hid his flushed face in Blaine's shoulder then for a second. He still held Blaine loosely against him though, probably to hide the boner he was sporting, she guessed. Blaine cooperated, no doubt hiding one too.

"_You_, need to knock." Kurt said accusingly to her over his boyfriend's shoulder with an annoyed glare.

Mercedes just laughed at him in delight. Yes! This was awesome. "Now where's the fun in that? I'm _supposed _to be watching that you don't break the rules and Blaine, I'd say putting your hands into Kurt's pants is definitely a no-no. Seriously though, you better break it up guys. We have to go back down and finish the cookies or you'll get Burt get mad at you if you push the envelope the first day." The guys agreed she had a valid point, so they left Blaine to put on the dry clothes while she and Kurt went downstairs.

Burt was relieved they had finally returned, as he put up his feet in his recliner to watch the game. He really didn't want to have to go check on them in Kurt's room and act all disapproving. Kurt should be treated just like Rachel and Finn, who seemed to be always all over each other lately.

He'd hopefully one day get used to Blaine looking at his kid like he wanted to eat him. Woah…_there_ was a bad analogy, if he'd ever heard one, even if it was likely literally true. That's my little boy you want to jump, Blaine…and Kurt probably wants to jump you too.

God almighty, this was gonna kill him. He closed his eyes and prayed for strength, and that the talk he'd given Kurt had sunk in a bit. He remembered he'd told Kurt to wait for somebody he cared about, and it was pretty obvious the boys were nuts about each other. What more could he hope for, for his kid's first experience with love?

Burt watched the three of them finish making the cookies together, laughing and talking together and it turned out Blaine hadn't yet met a cookie he didn't like. He must have eaten a dozen of them, even after Kurt made them each a sandwich. Mercedes left again around three, saying she was babysitting tonight for a neighbour and had stuff of her own to do before then.

Carole decided shortly after that she wanted Burt to take her to the hardware store to help her look for a new light fixture for over the kitchen table. She narrowed her eyes at him meaningfully, so Burt gave Kurt a monitory eye before they left and muttered that they should probably stay downstairs in the living room, while they were gone.

Kurt replied with an eye roll. "_Yes_ Dad, we'll stay out of my room and off my bed." Burt sighed, knowing exactly what would happen the minute they were out the door. Carole gave him a sympathetic smile, knowing he was having a tough time dealing with his son having a boyfriend. "We can't watch them every minute, Burt, and we _shouldn't_. Let 'em have some together time, honey." He tried not to think about it as he drove away.

Both boys eyed the couch, with a coy smile to each other, as soon as the Hummels left. They got comfortable together and then got busy. Making out had suddenly become their favourite thing to do, though they tried to keep it down to a simmer. For some reason, the cherished feeling Kurt felt in Blaine's arms didn't seem to have much to do with the scary thought of "having sex" that had intimidated the hell out of him for the last couple of years.

Finn came upstairs ten minutes later, innocently unaware of the couple nearby exploring the endless delights of kissing. Both boys had forgotten all about Kurt's brother. He padded to the fridge and poured himself some milk and grabbed a mittful of cooling cookies, assuming from the silent house that everyone had left. He decided to watch the football game and was shocked to discovere his brother and his new friend were sucking on each other's faces while passionately wrapped around each other on the couch!

"Holy crap!" He shouted, and jumped back like he had discovered a cobra in his living room, spraying cookie crumbs everywhere and sloshing milk out of his glass onto the floor. The boys jumped up comically, unwinding in a panic. Finn immediately cracked up at their expressions of panicked dismay tinted with extreme embarrassment at being caught hot and horny by Finn. Blaine self-consciously straightened his shirt and cardigan and Kurt scowled at his brother as he tugged his undershirt shirt and sweater back down.

"When the hell did _this_ happen?" Finn asked in astonishment. "You guys just met a few days ago and now you're trying to get into Kurt's pants? What the hell?" Finn glared at Blaine with his hands on his hips, sounding mad as hell. Kurt scowled even harder. What? Wait _just_ a minute here!

"Finn, it's none of your damn business what I do with my boyfriend. And I'm not your freaking sister. Go away!" Kurt pointed to the stairway imperiously.

"It's my living room too, so I don't have to leave. You guys can go take the make out session somewhere else yourself." Finn replied to Kurt's demand just as belligerently, still feeling intensely ruffled at finding his brother making out in his own living room with a guy he sort of liked a lot.

"Like where? We're not allowed to go to Blaine's place, we can't go to my room when Dad and Carole aren't home and we can't do this anywhere else. How is that fair? How would you like if you had nowhere to go to make out with _your _boyfr_…_girlfriend?" Kurt said acerbically, stomping into the kitchen to get a couple of drinks for Blaine and himself and slamming the fridge door for effect.

"But he's…wait, he's your _boyfriend.._like, officially?" Finn was beginning to see Kurt's problem. Geeze, that would seriously suck, if he and Rachel couldn't make out at the theatre, or in his truck, or at her house or at his house or... Maybe he could give them some space.

Meanwhile, Blaine was watching Kurt in one of his more spectacular snits with a great deal of awe, having discovered that his sweet angel boy had a streak of fire and brimstone in him. Somehow, that seemed to make him even hotter, he decided.

Kurt tilted his head with his eyes widened in mockery at Finn's failure to grasp the essentials of the situation. Well, of _course_ Blaine was his boyfriend. He wasn't about to mess around with somebody who wasn't his boyfriend. He gave Blaine a bottle of water, and took a swig of his own. Finn went to the cupboard and poured a bowl of cereal and then doused it in milk.

"Okay then, I'm going to go back downstairs and I'll text you if I'm coming back up. I do _not_ want to see any more of that anyway. I'm not interested in being a …wait, what's the plural of 'cockblock'?"

Kurt whipped a couch pillow at Finn as he retreated back down the stairs, chortling to himself the whole way.

Kurt sat down beside his boyfriend who was regarding him with bemusement on his face. "You are so _incredibly_ hot when you're pissed off," he said softly and hung his tongue out like a panting dog.

Kurt laughed and settled back against him, grateful that Blaine had seen a bitchy side of him he would have preferred to keep hidden for a while, and didn't seem to mind it at all.

"Where were we?" He reached to hold Blaine's face as he kissed him while he leaned him back against the pillows. Blaine let himself fall back and felt Kurt's weight on top of him. "Mmmm, love it when you get all dominant." He muttered against him. Kurt smiled in eager anticipation against Blaine's grin. Oooh yeah. Blaine wanted him to take the lead.

Despite their resolution to listen carefully for the Hummels to come home they were too preoccupied to hear them. It happened that it was Carole who saw them first. Blaine was three quarters on his back with Kurt three quarters on top of him, both of them leisurely squirming and kissing, not yet having gotten to the point where desperation had taken over.

Kurt had his eyes closed and his neck extended, relishing the sensations as Blaine traced up it with his mouth, while his hands were burrowing under Blaine's shirt. The expression on his face made Carole put her hand over her face to hold in a splutter; he looked just like his father with his bottom lip between his teeth, in exactly the same way Burt did when they were messing around. Heredity was the funniest thing, she decided.

Burt noticed Carole's pose and her amused gaze at the couch and knew before he even looked what she was looking at. He sighed and looked heavenward, trying to decide if he was ready for this. Ready or not, his son was making out in their living room with Blaine, so it wasn't like Carole and he had a choice about disturbing them. He walked briskly to the couch and whacked the nearest body part, which happened to be Blaine's knee, with his foot running up and down Kurt's calf, noting that at least he had enough manners to take his shoes off before he made out with his son on his couch.

"Hi boys. We're back" he announced clearly. He watched the mad scurry of arms and legs that resulted in bemusement, with the two of them ending up sitting side by side. They both refused to look at him, with their legs clamped self-consciously together, and their arms crossed over their laps. Blaine looked a combination of embarrassed and intimidated as he pulled the lower edges of his shirt together as inconspicuously as he could. Kurt looked embarrassed and annoyed at being caught, as he edged down his undershirt and sweater again with one hand.

They really weren't doing anything wrong, if Burt thought about it. So, they were kissing and making out a bit. That's what you _did_ with a boyfriend when you were alone, he supposed. They had obeyed the rules and not gone upstairs to Kurt's room. He decided to not make a big deal over it.

"Did you miss us?" He said to them with a teasing smile.

Kurt glanced up at him incredulously. "Not so much, Dad" he answered, a hint of irked disbelief creeping into his voice. Blaine glanced over at Kurt and let a smile emerge with a snort. Carole let out the ringing laugh she had been holding in at Kurt's response.

"That's too bad. Be grateful for your dear old dad, son. It could be much worse, right?" Burt reminded them. Kurt let his eyebrows do that thing he did, admitting he could possibly be right. Blaine nodded readily, knowing that was true. He hated to think what might have happened had his own father found them making out on the couch. It wouldn't have _ever_ happened at his house anyway, if there was any chance of his parents being around.

"So, boys… Carole and I have been talking about the situation and I've decided I want to take Blaine to his parent's house to talk to them together."

Blaine's face dropped any hint of amusement and turned to alarmed dismay. He glanced to Kurt, and took his hand, crushing it with his disappointment. Oh geeze, he _was_ being thrown out again. Burt _wasn't_ actually amused at catching them. Now he had a reason to ask Blaine to leave. He should never have asked Kurt to be his boyfriend!

Now he was going to lose the amazing boy he was falling in love with, his job and his new home, because he'd been thinking with his dick instead of his head. He tried his best to take it like a man and not break down and cry, at least until he was on his own. Burt would pay him for the work he had done, wouldn't he? He would have something, at least, to start over with again?

"I want to find out what it would take to have Blaine go home again. Maybe once the heat of anger is gone, his parents might be regretting their decision. They'd have no idea where to start looking for him." Burt saw Blaine's desolated face and hoped it wasn't the thought of going home again that was tearing him apart. He hurried to reassure him.

"Blaine, if you or your parents aren't happy with the arrangement, you can always stay at the shop until we figure something else out." Blaine's face took on such an expression of relief, that Burt had real qualms about even attempting reconciliation with the Andersons. On the other hand, trying reconciliation would at least confirm that they had eliminated that avenue, before they tried anything else. He would make sure Blaine was on board with whatever they decided, and let him know they would always be there for him in case he needed them. He had a strong suspicion that Kurt would remain a big part of Blaine's life now anyway.

"I thought you were throwing me out because I asked Kurt to be my boyfriend and you caught us kissing." Blaine said softly, meeting Burt's eyes and letting him see the pain that thought gave him.

"Are you kidding? Kurt would disown me. I said I'm okay with it and I meant it, Blaine. Burt leaned over to nudge him on the shoulder playfully, trying his best to sound like he did mean it. blaine let a sigh of relief.

Kurt took Blaine's arm to console him and shook his head. Not gonna happen, boyfriend. Damn, his father was amazing. Kurt stood and went to his father and hugged him in a long grateful hug, refusing to release him for long minutes, with a tiny hitch of emotion escaping at his amazingness. Burt patted his back, just as grateful that he'd made Kurt happy. Carole wiped her eyes, her emotions getting out of hand too.

"Okay, enough of this. We're agreed we're all kinds of awesome, here at the Hummel's. Let's pack up and go and we'll get this over with. Blaine, can you give me directions?" Blaine nodded and looked to Kurt to check if he was coming along too. Kurt shook his head in silent reply, knowing they would have more success without him there. His presence would just antagonise Blaine's homophobic parents. Blaine knew he was right. He stood and reluctantly accompanied Burt to the truck, with Kurt following them to the driveway.

"Good luck honey. Maybe they came to their senses and they miss you enough to get the hell over themselves." Kurt said to his boyfriend doubtfully.

Blaine rolled his eyes in response. Yeah, _that's_ not going to happen. They didn't seem to miss him much while he was at school all year, and it seemed like they could barely tolerate his presence during the summer and at holiday times, often sending him away to summer camps when he was younger or to visit with family, so they could go travel on their own. Kurt glanced at his father and then quickly kissed Blaine goodbye, making Blaine smile at him gratefully and his father glance away self-consciously to give them a moment.

* * *

A/N: So now Burt and Blaine are on their way to the the Anderson's to discuss Blaine moving home. Neither seems very optomistic, do they? We all know it's not going to go well, but what are their next moves? Next chapter should be up by the weekend. Thank you for your kind reveiws and your interest. Ta.


	8. Chapter 8

**Ch 8**

Burt drove Blaine the nearly half hour to the Andersons house to the Findlay Estates area of town, staying mostly silent. He was trying to find some way to approach the conversation regarding Blaine returning to live with his parents, and still try to hang on to his temper. He glanced over to Blaine who was sitting glumly beside him, looking like he was going to the gallows, instead of back to his home. He obviously didn't think there was much hope for their mission.

They pulled into the driveway of a large estate home, elegant window coverings showing at every window. The grounds were lushly landscaped with big brick pillars at the end of their winding driveway, which impressed Burt in spite of himself, but he'd already _known_ the Andersons had money. There was a large Lexus SUV in the driveway but there was no sign of any life in the house.

"Well buddy, are you ready for this?" Burt asked Blaine softly. He gave him a dose of his puppy eyes that were guaranteed to turn your heart into mush.

"No, I don't think I am… but… Burt, can I keep seeing Kurt? He's absolutely mind-blowingly amazing! I think I'm falling in love with him. And can I keep working for you, even if they do let me move back? I really like working at the shop."

Blaine looked over at him, his heart in his eyes. Burt wondered if he had any idea what love even _was _at seventeen, but as long as he made Kurt as happy as he seemed to be right now, Burt was content to let him stick around. "Sure kid. You can keep seeing Kurt as long as he wants you around and same with the job, unless your parents object to you working there. Let's go get this done, Blaine." Burt could tell they were both reluctant to face Blaine's parents, but it had to be done.

Blaine inhaled deeply, in a heartfelt sigh, before he led Burt up the walkway. He opened the front door, refusing to knock on his own front door, though Burt would have, if he had been first.

They entered an ostentatious travertine marble front foyer. Burt felt the urge to take off his shoes to keep from soiling it. He watched Blaine look to the right, into a fancy living room and then return, passing Burt and going down a hallway beside the big central stairway that dominated the centre of the house. When he didn't return within the next couple minutes, Burt followed down the hall after him.

He found Blaine speaking to a regally elegant woman in a bright breakfast nook at the back of the house, situated between a huge designer kitchen and a two story family room Burt would have given his eye teeth for. She was petite and exotically pretty, with her wavy dark hair swept back and up into something French that Burt forgot the name of, with curly tendrils artfully escaping. She was wearing a dress and pearls…while at home alone. "…you here, Blaine"

Blaine glanced back to see Burt approaching, then back at his mother who had stopped speaking when she saw Burt. She looked to Blaine expectantly, obviously waiting for an introduction.

"Mother, this is Burt Hummel. Burt, this is my mother, Helene Anderson. Burt gave me a job and a place to live, Mom. He wanted to talk to you about me moving back here. Is Dad here?"

"No, he's not. He's at the club. Has something changed regarding your choice to live a lifestyle we can't condone? I hope you've change your mind, Blaine...please don't continue with this. You _know_ what you need to do, to come home."

Helene was tremendously relieved to see that her son looked well dressed and well rested. Blaine would always be her youngest son, and she had lain awake at night worrying about where he might be. Thank the good Lord, now she could rest, knowing he had found a refuge somewhere.

Helene had spoken to her priest, troubled about her husband's unexpected moment of anger that had resulted in the loss of her son. He'd had to pry to get her to tell him that Bernard had done it because her son had told his school friends he was homosexual. On one hand, Father Mancinni had assured her that he had nearly forty years of experience in dealing with family crisis situations like this. She had to trust he knew what he was doing, though he was rather elderly and very traditional.

She had no experience with crisis, since Blaine and Cooper had both always been such a good boys. She had trusted that he was right about the necessity of using tough-love to make Blaine turn away from his sinful choice.

Burt began to speak to the woman who had let no trace of emotion show on her face, a habit from years of training, since her time at the convent where she had attended school. "Blaine is a good kid, ma'am. As far as I can tell, the only thing he has to regret is not telling you about his decision to come out at school before he spoke to his parents first."

Helene was becoming angry now… spitting angry, though she hid it well, well-bred as always. How dare this man come into her home and imply they had left Blaine with no alternatives. He had _always_ had the opportunity to return home, with the only stipulation being that he abandon this …this lifestyle choice. It was Blaine's own decision to persist in something he had picked up at Dalton, a school that encouraged this sort of behaviour. Father Mancinni had reassured her that all boys wanted to experiment with sex, and since Blaine attended a boys' school, it was no surprise that was who he decided he was interested in dating.

Who was this man to come here and tell her how to raise her son? Of _course _Blaine was a good boy. He was just confused now, and rebelling at his parent's authority. He needed a firm hand, not someone to support his poor choices. Blaine's mother looked down at Burt's work clothes with a cold dismissive glance. Burt ducked his head, recognizing her distain.

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Hummel. I appreciate you taking pity on him, but Blaine needs to learn a lesson and a handout is _not_ going to help him learn the consequences of making disastrous choices." Helene spoke to Burt in a tight voice that betrayed how much she resented his interference. Blaine sighed hopelessly and glanced at Burt, with a pleading glance that asked if they could leave now, but Burt wasn't done yet. His temper was getting the best of him anyway.

"What lessons did you intend him to learn, ma'am? That he can't depend on his own mother and father to support him when he needs them most? Blaine didn't get any handouts, Helene. He insists on working for what he gets. That's a valuable lesson he's already learned, for sure. I suppose sleeping outdoors is another valuable life lesson. I doubt he'll ever take a warm bed and a roof over his head for granted again. Luckily, he survived that lesson without catching his death of a cold, or getting beaten up… or worse."

"I _do _know that even being left on his own without a nickel to his name or a safe place to lay his head will _never_ change his orientation. Blaine's _gay, _Helene. He can't change that, no matter what you put him through. I know if he was my kid, I'd be very proud of him. He works hard, he's honest, he's got more talent in his little finger than I do in my whole body and he's an honourable man. They don't come much better than that."

"I want to know if Blaine has any hope of ever coming back here, without having to lie to you and the rest of the world. Maybe he needs to keep his personal relationships out of your home at first, if you're not comfortable around them. When do you think I could speak to Mr. Anderson about this?" Burt wondered what she would say to him if she knew that _his_ son was already in a personal relationship with Blaine.

"There is no point to discussing this further. Mr. Hummel, my priest is _very_ clear on this. He assures me its a mortal sin to have sexual relations outside of marriage, and its perversion to have relations with others of the same sex. Unless Blaine confesses that he is sinning and admits the error of his ways, I'm afraid we must continue our estrangement."

Blaine flinched away from his mother, as if she was causing him physical pain, instead of just mutilating his spirit. She felt her heart contract in pain at the look on her son's face. Could her priest really be so wrong about Blaine not having any choice in the matter? She had trusted that he must know what he was doing, but this man sounded so sure that Blaine had no choice.

Surely once Blaine married a nice Catholic girl and they had children, he would understand that was what God wanted for all of them. He just needed enough determination to follow through…and she knew her son well enough to know he had lots of that. She had always been very proud of Blaine, in his excellent marks, his musical talent and his easy warm personality. Her sons were her proudest achievement, in a life that seemed to consist mostly of meaningless interactions with business contacts and country club socializing..

"I feel sorry for you and your husband. You're going to miss out on the rest of Blaine's life. But I _won't."_ Burt stopped talking then, before he started shouting at the misguided woman.

Burt put his hand on Blaine's shoulder and closed his fingers hard enough to almost bruise him, with the strength of his anger. Blaine understood his frustration. He could see that Burt was struggling to hold his temper in check. They were in the Anderson's house, unannounced and unwelcome. He couldn't say the things he wanted to, defending Blaine and his own son's right to love who they loved and their right to get married, if that's what they wanted some day. Burt knew he wouldn't be heard anyway. Her closed mind was made up. Burt nodded to Blaine, accepting his failure. But before they left, there was one more thing he had to ask.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I've said more than I should have. I didn't come here to offend you. I need to ask one more thing though. Can you see your way to letting Blaine take some of his things? His clothes, his music, maybe his computer, stuff like that? I would be honoured to support your son any way I can, but if you don't want those things, we wouldn't have to buy them over again. Blaine was staring at Burt in amazement at his words. God, he hoped Burt meant them, and didn't just say them to prove something to his mother.

"That should be possible, though I should consult with Bernard first. I have no use for any of it, if he's chosen this path. We will contact you sometime later this week to find a convenient time."

The woman who had given birth to Blaine raised one hand, in a graceful motion to show them out then, obviously wanting them to leave now. Burt was done with her too. He steered Blaine around by the shoulder and they walked out, with his hand never leaving his son's boyfriend.

Blaine saw his mother standing in the doorway watching them, as they drove away. Was he wrong or did he see tears on her face? He knew she couldn't be as heartless as she had sounded. That she _did _love him, in her own remote way. It was probably that geriatric jerk of a parish priest who was leading her to behave the way she had. She truly believed he had a choice about deciding who he was attracted to and he had no idea how to ever convince her otherwise. He was never going to win against her deep faith in the traditional Catholic Church she had been raised in.

They were driving back home when Burt looked over to Blaine, who looked fairly calm, considering. Burt was the one who felt emotionally devastated. It appeared that he and Carole had three teenagers to raise now.

Blaine went right up the stairs to Kurt's room when they got back to the house, seeking comfort in his boyfriend's arms. Burt let them be, understanding completely because he wanted the same thing. He went to Carole and held her tight in his arms, looking for comfort too. She could see how troubled Burt was.

He told her in a quiet voice what Blaine's mother had said and _how_ she had said it and she shed some tears for the boy who had to listen to that in front of a man he respected and cared about. She and Burt talked about taking on the responsibility of becoming Blaine's unofficial parents. It was a lot to handle, taking on another teenager, but they knew he was so worth it.

Burt decided at that moment that he would investigate what it might take to become the official guardian of Blaine Anderson, but first he should find out first when Blaine turned eighteen and if he had any other member of his family who might want to take on the job first. It would be a hassle if he and Kurt ever broke off their relationship, but although they had only known him for a short time, he knew Blaine had already crept into their hearts to stay.

Kurt held his boyfriend, not asking any questions. He could tell from his sad silence and tight hug how their visit had gone. He was secretly happy about it, in what he knew was a thoroughly selfish way. Now Blaine could stay at the shop and he would continue to see him every day. Blaine didn't need his parents when the Hummels could provide the loving and supportive environment he wished every kid had.

Its okay Blaine. You've got us. Kurt murmured into his hair. Blaine pulled him even closer. The afternoon was nearly gone. Kurt glanced over to his bed, and told himself Blaineès need for comfort out-trumped his fathers rules. He drew Blaine toward his bed, and crawled into it with an invitation for Blaine to join him with his arm raised.

Blaine accepted the offer quickly. They lay in each other's arms, drawing comfort from each other. Neither of them spoke. Usually when they were that close, their hormones made them seek the wonderful feeling of love from the other, but for now they were content just being together.

It was nearly half an hour later that Carole came upstairs. The bedroom door was open, as they were supposed to leave it, so she immediately saw them lying on the bed together, which was definitely against the rules. Her eyes met Kurt's, looking back at her defensively. It was obvious they weren't messing around though, so she didn't say anything about it, other than extending an invitation to dinner with a silent nod of her head. Kurt just nodded, acknowledging that he'd understood her, but not sure if Blaine was ready yet to let go of him.

"Are you hungry? Do you want to go down for dinner?" Kurt whispered into his boyfriend's curls, ready to stay there with him, if he wasn't.

"Yep. Am I ever _not_ hungry?" Blaine whispered back, with a chuckle. Kurt snorted back. Thank god, Blaine would be fine.

They went down the stairs together, holding hands. Carole had made lasagne, one of Blaine's favourites, though she didn't know that until he told her. It was very different from his mother's but it was delicious too.

Carole had told Burt that the boys were comforting each other lying in Kurt's bed, but only by holding each other. Burt was okay with them being there too, glad they shared more than just a sexual attraction to each other. He was surprised to learn that he was happy that Blaine had found Kurt, who had such a tender caring heart.

They weren't normally a very religious family, since Burt had pretty much abandoned his faith, when God took his wife in the prime of her life, leaving him alone with their young son. Carole had been too busy as a single mother working shifts to take her son to church very often. But today, Carole reached her hands to Burt on one side and Finn on her othe,r and asked to say a prayer of thanks for having found each other. Blaine held Burt's hand and Kurt's, and Kurt held Finn's and Blaine's hand.

When the circle was complete, Carole said her prayer of thanks. She added that being a family had less to do with genetics than it did about love. They were a family connected by love. Kurt was resistant to believing in any religion that rejected his orientation, but he _could _be thankful to whatever deity had given him his family and Blaine.

They began their dinner and were nearly done before Burt brought up the subject of perhaps becoming Blaine's guardian. He said he'd like to explore whether Blaine had any other relations that might want the job before he went through the legal stuff, but since there was nearly a whole year before Blaine turned eighteen, they should put something in place in case he got ill, or needed some support in school, or whatever.

Blaine protested that he would rather be his own guardian than lay the job on Burt and Carole, but Burt told him gently that a seventeen year-old didn't have any legal standing. He wanted a new cell phone, didn't he? He wanted to drive a car again, right? If Burt was going to take on those obligations he needed the legal rights to sign the contracts for Blaine. Blaine stopped resisting after that, thinking it sucked, being a kid. In one more year he could take on his own responsibilities, but until then he needed somebody.

Maybe Cooper would do it, though living so far away might be a problem. Ditto with his Aunt. Or even his Nana. He _really _didn't want his boyfriend's father to be his guardian. It felt too incestuous, to become part of their family and still want to get into Kurt's pants…never mind what that must feel like for Burt. He smiled at Kurt, wondering if Burt would let them go back upstairs to Kurt's room afterward. Kurt read his mind and smiled back, toeing his calf under the table as he drank his milk. He had the most beautiful eyes, Blaine decided.

Carole saw the look the two boys were exchanging and decided Blaine felt much better. She glanced to Burt, who was eyeing the two boys too. He rolled his eyes at her, but she could see the relief behind them, grateful Blaine had survived being told again that he couldn't go home, with the help of his boyfriend. But he _still_ wasn't going to let them lie on Kurt's bed again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Ch 9 **

A/N: I want to mention that the Catholic Church certainly does **not** advise throwing your kids to the curb if they're gay. That was done by Blaine's father in a fit of temper. The priest was simply following a traditional method of changing Blaine's outlook on his orientation, in accordance with his own beliefs. Religion is, of course, a personal choice for everyone, but I believe that God intends any adult couple's commitment to love each other to be sacred, no matter what their orientation may be. Many religious and cultural beliefs have changed over the centuries, and it seems probable that many more will change in the future.

* * *

Monday morning, everyone got up and went to work again, arriving at the shop to find Blaine already up and eager to start. As a matter of fact, he impressed Burt all to hell, because he had already cleaned the microwave and washed out the fridge to keep busy until they arrived. Finn gave him a light whack on the shoulder for making Kurt and him look bad, sort of teasing, but not really.

Burt whacked Finn in return, and said that he should take some initiative himself sometimes, instead of always waiting to be told to do something. Blaine winked at him and preened a bit. Kurt whispered to him to stop brown-nosing, since his father liked him well enough already. Looking innocent was one of Blaine's specialities, so he turned the puppy eyes on his boyfriend, aaaaand it worked like a charm, he was pleased to see.

Burt assigned Blaine's training to his number two man, Zeke, since Finn was already being trained by Casey. Burt discreetly checked with Zeke after a couple of hours and he reported that Blaine was smart and eager to learn. Better yet, he was already familiar with some automotive parts since he said he and his father had rebuilt a car together a few years ago.

Having all that extra help meant they turned cars around faster even with the extra time it took to train the boys. Burt even took a long lunch at home with Carole since she was on afternoons, and told the boys that he didn't mind if other people took a few extra breaks too, if they happened to hit a slow spot. Kurt took that comment and ran with it.

Kurt had packed a picnic lunch for Blaine and him to share on Monday at the park. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate with his plan. It was raining in a constant downpour today, so they decided to have an indoor picnic, right there in the office. Blaine took a minute to check his email again while Kurt laid out their picnic on the blanket spread out on the floor. He found more messages from his Dalton friends and another from his brother. He finally braced himself and composed a reply to his buddies, telling them what had happened since the last day of school and that he was doing all right.

Then he read the one from Cooper. He had sent contact information for his aunt and his grandmother, who actually _had_ an email address too. Huh! Who knew? Maybe she needed it for the family business? She wasn't officially involved in it anymore, but Blaine knew she still liked to keep a watchful eye on his father's management of the business her husband had built up from a tiny one man store.

He wrote back to his brother thanking him for the info, before he updated him that he was still with the Hummels and that Kurt was his boyfriend now. He told him he was very happy where he was and so he likely wasn't going to bother risking more rejection from the rest of his family. If he wasn't good enough for the Andersons, then he would make his own way.

He pressed send and then turned back to Kurt for a little quality together time. They ate sitting cross legged on the floor on a blanket, pretending that they were somewhere far away and all alone on a deserted island. Kurt had closed the door so they weren't expecting company when Zeke walked in and whooped in surprise, scaring the bejeebers out of them both.

"Whooooie! What the hell is _this_, Kurtie, my boy? Since when have you been messing around with the staff? Your daddy hired him to be our new helper, not your personal sex slave. Get yourself peeled _off _him. I'll just bet he don't know what you boys are up to in here, does he, Scooter?"

Zeke stood leaning on the doorframe with his arms casually crossed and grinned at them, enjoying embarrassing the boy he'd known since he was two and a half and cuter than a button in his mother's arms. He'd loved him almost from day one, especially when his mother would stop in to let him toddle around behind Zeke in the shop, so when Kurt grew up and turned out to be gay, he just accepted it as a natural part of him.

"Scooter? Oh my god! I love it!" Blaine hooted, grinning impishly at him from where he was lying on the floor, with Kurt still half covering him. He could tell from Zeke's grin that he meant no harm by his teasing. He just thoroughly enjoyed making Kurt hopping mad.

"Zeke, did you _want_ something or did you just come in here to annoy me?" Kurt asked tersely, trying to not lose his cool as he rolled off of Blaine and sat with his knees up. He knew that was probably _exactly_ what Zeke wanted, and once he _did_ get annoyed, Kurt knew he would keep up the teasing until he blew his stack.

"Mmmmaybe. I need about sixty bucks to go to the hardware store to buy some white paint. Burt wants Lover Boy here, and Stretch to freshen up the outside of the shop when we get slow times. But I'm in no hurry, at all. I can wait till you finish up whatever you were doing."

Zeke perched his butt on the corner of Kurt's desk with a grin, watching them collect themselves and sit up, trying to regain some of their destroyed decorum. Kurt sighed deeply and stood to go to the safe and get the money from the Petty Cash box for Zeke. He watched impatiently while he scribbled his initials on the slip and then stood with his hands on his hips, expecting him to leave, but Zeke seemed to be in no great rush to do so.

He sat down again on the desk and began to regale them with the tale of the amazing fish he'd caught on Saturday afternoon. Blaine gave Kurt a long suffering eye roll and sighed as he rested an elbow on one knee of his crossed legs. Kurt eventually went to Zeke and grabbed his sleeve and tugged him toward the door, as he talked all the while. He was _still_ talking when Kurt closed the door again, using his bum against it to shove him out into the hallway. Zeke raised his voice, still talking through the door as the boys laughed at him. Then they heard his voice receding into the distance, still talking.

Blaine stood up to wrap his arms around Kurt, and had just touched his lips to his again when Burt walked in, taken by surprise at the scene revealed in his office. Blaine growled in frustration, and released Kurt again. Kurt turned to his father. "Dad, can Blaine and I take our lunch break upstairs at his place? People keep walking into the office."

"Nope. You two just want to make out, so why would I want to make that easier for you? This is a place of business Kurt, so I want you to keep your behaviour professional during work hours. We shouldn't _have_ to worry about walking in on you two messing around." Burt saw the two boys glance disappointedly at each other. Blaine sighed in acceptance and Kurt scowled at his father in resentment.

"I think I'll go back to work now. See you later, hon." Blaine kissed the end of Kurt's nose and gave Burt a forced smile on the way out. Burt grinned back at him as he left, then transferred it to his son.

"Nice lunch?" He walked around the blanket on the floor to his desk to look for the tool catalog he had left on his desk, ignoring the snarky discontented bookkeeper at the other desk, grumpily muttering to himself that if they were allowed to go upstairs, nobody would have to worry about walking in on them. Burt couldn't help the grin still showing on his face, not feeling bad at all about thwarting the romantic lunch date in his office.

It was late afternoon when three young strangers walked into the shop, after emerging from a beautiful new red BMW convertible. Zeke was showing Finn how to change a muffler, which mostly involved Zeke talking as he leaned nearby, and Finn working. The boys waited politely for a pause in the conversation before they asked for the whereabouts of Blaine Anderson.

Finn checked them out. They were preppy boys, expensively but casually well dressed and certainly not from anywhere around here.

"Something I can help you with? Blaine is a friend of mine." Finn said, going closer and casually towering over the three boys, in case they were gonna hassle Blaine, or something.

"Yeah, that'd be great. We're some of his buddies from Dalton. We know he's been going through a rough spot lately and just wanted to make sure he's doing okay. Is he around here? Can you tell us where to find him?" the tall blond boy asked politely, with a warm smile.

Finn breathed a sigh of relief. It was good to know somebody cared about Blaine. "Yeah, he's around here somewhere. Let me check with my brother. I'll bet he knows where he is. Can I tell him your names?" Finn asked all three boys, wiping his hands marginally cleaner with a shop rag. The taller boy answered him.

"Sure. I'm Wes, this is Jeff and Nick. We'll wait right here, if you want."

Finn nodded and headed for the office. He'd noticed Blaine seemed to go in there fairly often today so it was a good place to start looking if he wasn't immediately visible. He found the office door closed. Hmmm. Just in case, he tapped lightly and waited for a second or two, then went in, to find Blaine just standing up from where he must have been leaning over Kurt, or whatever.

"Hey dude! There's a bunch of guys out there to see you from Dalton. That's the school you went to, right Blaine? They said they're, um… Oh yeah, Wes, Nick and Jeff are waiting for you in the first bay.

Blaine's face lit up and he yelled "thanks!" as he ran out the door, surprising Kurt and Finn with his sudden enthusiasm.

Both boys followed Blaine's path, curious about why these guys had caused such a reaction in Blaine. They arrived in time to see Blaine clasped in Jeff's arms, both of them wearing affectionate, happy expressions.

Kurt's face hardened in an immediate scowl. Who exactly _were_ these boys getting all physical with _his_ boyfriend? Then Blaine released Jeff and hugged Nick tightly next, as he lifted him off the ground for a second or two, laughing. He hugged Wes last, and then cuffed him lightly on the shoulder.

"Why didn't you guys _tell_ me you were coming here? I'm working now, so I can't even spend some time with you. I'd have told you to come down after supper."

Blaine looked so disappointed to not be able to hang out with his friends that Kurt felt bad for him. He'd already decided that this first impulse of jealousy was off target, since his gaydar told him all three boys were straight.

Wait…if they were from Dalton they knew Blaine was gay, and they _still_ hugged him? They cared enough to drive all the way down here and look him up? Even Finn seldom hugged him and he was his brother. None of the other Glee guys had_ ever_ hugged him.

Burt came around the car he was working on and approached the crowd of boys, having missed Blaine's enthusiastic greeting. "Hey, boys. I'm Burt Hummel. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Burt, these are some of my friends from Dalton. This is Wes Long, Nick Hardin and Jeff Daley. Guys, this is Kurt Hummel and Finn Hudson and their father Burt Hummel, the owner of the shop. " Blaine pointed to each of them in turn and they politely offered their hands to shake. Burt displayed his greasy ones to them, and passed on the shake, but smiled warmly at their murmured greetings "Pleased to meet you, sir." "Thanks for giving Blaine a hand, sir" "Good to meet you."

"Blaine, if you want, you can knock off early since your friends came here just to see you. We can always work it out another day. Nice car, by the way." He nodded at the convertible.

"Thank you, sir. I just got it from my parents for getting honours again." Nick said, offhand about getting an expensive car as a reward for good marks. Burt had thought he was being generous with a two hundred dollar check for Kurt! Finn had never gotten honours yet, but he'd decided he'd have to give him one too, if he ever did.

"It's Burt, boys. We have to get back to work, but it's been good to meet you. I'm glad you took the time to come here to see Blaine. I'm sure he appreciates your support." Burt turned away from the boys, nodding to Finn and Kurt meaningfully. Finn turned away, but Blaine caught Kurt by the arm, before he could leave.

"Hey guys. Kurt is my boyfriend now. Meeting _him_ is the silver lining in this whole mess." His announcement resulted in the guys all poking Blaine's arm with big smiles, saying they were happy for them.

The boys all looked oddly pleased to hear that Blaine had a boyfriend, Kurt thought. Why would they care about Blaine's love life?

"Wow! Congratulations, Kurt! Blaine has been notoriously hard to land until now. There's been quite a few guys pursuing him, but you're the first to have succeeded." Jeff said with a wink, flinching away as Blaine tried to cuff him.

"Thank you, Jeff but I'm not sure who landed who." Kurt replied, bemused by the fact that they all seemed so comfortable about gay relationships.

"Yeah, it was kind of a mutual decision." Blaine said fondly, with a grin to his boyfriend, as he took his hand in both of his.

"You guys are even soppier than Trent and Luke. I always knew you were a hopeless romantic, from your song choices." Wes said teasingly.

"Are you all Warblers?" Kurt asked, his ears perking up in interest. They nodded back with wide smiles, immensely proud of their acapella group.

"Finn and I are in New Directions at McKinley." Kurt offered eagerly, proud of his group too.

"Yeah, and you guys should hear him sing. He's a countertenor! God, what we would give to have you sing with us at Dalton, Kurt. With only boys there, trying to fill a full chord with just tenors, baritones and two bass' in the group is a challenge and a half." Blaine's face suddenly changed as he remembered that singing with the Warblers was now nothing but a fond memory.

Kurt saw his expression change and tried to cheer him up. "You can sing with New Directions if you go to McKinley in the fall, Blaine. You could take us all the way to Nationals."

"You won't be coming back to Dalton then?" Nick asked, putting his hand on Blaine's arm, as if he was trying to keep him from getting away. Blaine shook his head. They all knew how much it cost to go there and understood his sadness at another side effect of his estrangement from his parents.

Wes piped up with an idea. "Blaine! Maybe you could apply for a scholarship or something. We know Dalton wouldn't want to lose our lead singer. Hey Kurt, do you think you might wanna be a Dalton boy too? We could sure use a countertenor in the Warblers. Lots of gays go there because of the no tolerance toward bullying policy, but besides that, we need our Blainey back, and I think you two might make a great team. My dad has some pull with the admissions committee and so does Nick's. Give it some thought, okay?"

Blaine glanced to Kurt, enthralled with the idea of going to Dalton with him. He most certainly would give it some thought. Kurt was looking pretty enthralled at the idea himself.

"Can we take you two out for supper somewhere?" Jeff asked, sliding over to Kurt and putting his arm around him with a warm smile. Kurt looked at him in surprise. Maybe his gaydar had been off and Jeff _was_ gay!

"Get your hands off my boyfriend, homo." Blaine said in mock jealousy. He knew very well that Jeff was straight, but he just liked to play around and pretend sometimes, because Blaine had made the mistake of telling him once he had nice eyes. Jeff laughed at him and planted a big wet kiss on Kurt's cheek, flabbergasting him into squawking an embarrassingly high note and blushing. He unwound Jeff's arm from his waist and retreated to Blaine's side, making them all laugh.

"Oooh, he _is_ a countertenor!" Jeff laughed, as Blaine put his arm protectively around his boyfriend.

"You're going to scare him away from Dalton if you keep this up, you jerks, although he may as well know what he might be getting into. They're all crazy Kurt, but I love them anyway. Sure, if you want, we can go out for dinner somewhere. Kurt, could you ask Burt if you can leave too? I'd like to take you with us." Blaine spoke softly to Kurt, who smiled happily and nodded. He knew his father would have no problem if he left with Blaine and his friends.

"Great, while you talk to him, we'll go upstairs and I'll change into my red pants. See you back here in a few." Blaine gave Kurt a quick peck on the lips, again surprising Kurt with his comfortable attitude in front of his straight friends, before he led his buddies up the stairway to his loft.

Kurt went to where he had seen his father and found him working on some brakes, behind a car lifted into the air on a hoist. "Hey Dad, is it okay if I go out with Blaine and the guys? They want to take us out for dinner. They're really nice, Dad…a little off the wall maybe, but nice."

Burt couldn't remember the last time he had seen Kurt so excited. "Sure. You know, your productivity seems to have suffered a setback since Blaine got here, but I'm glad you're happy, son."

Kurt hugged his father, coveralls and all, though he was careful not to get any grease on him. After all, he was going to be going out for dinner in these clothes. Luckily, he knew he looked good today, having taken some extra time on his appearance since he knew Blaine would be around him all day.

He went upstairs, following the sound of laughter, and found Blaine just buttoning his shirt with Jeff and his long legs looking like a stork tucked into the hanging chair and Nick pushing him like he was on a swing and Wes was in the window chair, tipped back with his feet crossed on the side table. It was like walking into a warm sunbeam to feel the love and friendship emanating from the group.

"Hey Kurt, are we all set? Nice hickeys, by the way." Nick said with a quick leering grin. Kurt blushed to his toes, again. If they'd seen them, that meant Blaine had changed in front of them all? Eeep! That was one aspect of going to Dalton that would take some getting used to.

Kurt was very insecure about revealing his body, especially considering that he was now wearing evidence of Blaine's affections too. Blaine was watching him and saw his uneasiness, though he seemed to have none. He shrugged at Kurt's surprised glance. They were his friends and he shared almost everything with them, though now that he had a boyfriend there were some private things he would never tell them.

They all squashed into Nick's convertible together, with Wes calling shotgun before they'd even left Blaine's loft. Kurt sat on one side of the back seat and Jeff on the other and they made Blaine sit in the middle since he was the shortest. Jeff wound an arm around Blaine's shoulders, making Kurt put his around him too in possessive retaliation, the green-eyed beast having raised her ugly head again. Straight or not, he didn't like Jeff getting too close to his boyfriend.

Jeff grinned at Kurt and let the backs of his fingers caress Kurt's cheek, knowing exactly how Kurt felt about him. Kurt retaliated by running his fingers through Jeff's hair, making him moan sensuously, as Kurt giggled at him. He'd never played around with boys like this before, comfortable with touching them teasingly. Blaine glanced from Kurt to Jeff and saw the humour in their eyes and didn't worry about whatever they were doing behind him. He just really wanted Kurt to like his friends.

The boys went back to Blaine's after dinner and hung out for a while, convincing Kurt that they _were_ crazy but they were fun and treated Blaine and Kurt like their being boyfriends was totally normal. Kurt really enjoyed the evening and now he knew why Blaine loved them so much. He and Blaine had decided to both apply for scholarships. Though it was very late to apply, there was still a chance they might squeak in.

Once he got home Kurt spent the rest of the evening cruising around the Dalton web site, downloading the scholarship applications they would need to fill out, and learning more about the school. He even saw his new friends' faces in some of the photos posted on the site. Nick had won a science prize and Jeff was a champion athlete. There were some famous and successful alumni on the donor list, one of whom he guessed was probably Wes' father, from the family resemblance and their shared surname. There were several Hinton alumni listed too, so one of those was probably Nick's father, or his uncles or something. Yeah, he probably had some pull.

Blaine went to bed that night happier than he could remember in years. Who needed parents anyway? He had everything he needed without them. He had a nice place to live, a job with enough to get by on, thanks to Burt, his friends were still his crew and best of all, he had Kurt, who was everything he'd ever dreamed of in a boyfriend.

Kurt went to bed wearing a contented smile too that night. He thought they were past all the drama of Blaine becoming part of their family, now that there was no hope of his parents agreeing to him returning. He was _so _wrong. There was more drama in store for them soon enough.


	10. Chapter 10

**Ch 10**

The animated conversation that evening around the supper table was interrupted by the doorbell's chime. Everyone's eyes glanced to each other to check if anyone was expecting company, but head shakes all around denied it. Burt put one last forkful in his mouth and sighed, as he got up to answer it. It was probably somebody selling something again. He must have had three kids at his door this week already, selling candy bars to raise money for sports, or church or camp or _something_. He gaped in surprise at the elegant older woman he found standing on his porch and swallowed his food with a gulp.

The woman standing there was about seventy, but she stood proudly erect, with a pleasantly expectant expression. Her hair was silver and perfectly coifed and she was wearing a coat that Burt could tell from long experience with Kurt, undoubtedly came from a designer line. There was an imposing black limo waiting at the curb with its engine purring. "Hello? Can I help you with something?" Burt asked, mystified at what the woman could want.

"Good evening. This is the Hummel residence, I hope?" She asked, her voice and accent conveying that she was confident and from the upper echelon of society. Burt nodded, wondering why she was _his_ door.

"I'm so sorry to disturb you at your meal, but this is quite urgent. I am Evelyn Pierce Anderson, Blaine's grandmother. May I speak to you concerning him? She was up front and to the point and obviously used to getting her own way, as she sailed past him into their house, at his gesture of invitation. She really didn't care whether she was disturbing him or not, he could tell.

"Certainly. Come right in." Burt muttered, as he watched her walk elegantly into the family room, with her eyes finding Blaine among the Hummel family at the dinner table. A pleased smile broke over her face.

Blaine half stood, his mouth open in shock at his grandmother's appearance.

"Nana! I..what…how did you find me?" Blaine stuttered out, shocked to see his grandmother here at the Hummel's house. As far as he knew, she hardly ever left New York. They always went to visit _her_, not the other way around

"Hello Binky. Come and give me a hug." She said fondly, using a nickname Blaine hadn't heard in ten years and raising her arms in invitation. Blaine went to her and hugged her gratefully, smelling the perfume she wore that brought back memories of years of solemn visits to her New York penthouse apartment, where he was admonished to sit quietly and not make a fuss by his parents.

Kurt grinned in amusement. Oh my god, Binky! He was going to remember _that_, to use as ammunition when Blaine pulled out 'Scooter'.

Blaine pulled away from his grandmother. What could she be doing here in Lima? He showed her to the couch where they sat side by side. She took his hand in his and collected her thoughts.

"I spoke to your father this morning, my dear. I called to see when your family might visit again and he told me you had moved out and were living here with the Hummels. Why dear? Has something happened? I can't understand why, when you still have a year of high school left to finish."

Blaine took a deep breath and reluctantly tried to find the words to explain to her why he couldn't be part of the Anderson family any more. His father must have been too ashamed to explain it to her, leaving it to him to destroy their relationship.

"Dad found out that I listed on the internal Dalton web site that I was gay and freaked out. He told me to never darken his door again." Blaine waited for her reaction, expecting her to recoil in disgust at him too. She had always been so prim and proper, demanding lip service to traditions that had almost faded out of existence, stuck in time since the day she had been presented to society as a debutante.

"Oh… I see." She said in a quiet voice. "I've wondered, for quite a long time now, if you might be gay. I suspected, when you preferred playing with the housekeeper's girls to the neighbour's boys. She sighed in acceptance. "If that's the way it_ is,_ then we shall all have to adapt. I refuse to lose my favourite grandson because my son is an intolerant prig and his wife is a pedant with a distorted view of what's appropriate."

Blaine nearly dropped his chin to his chest, unable to hide his shock at her words. It seemed she _wasn't_ going to turn her back on him like his parents had. She saw his amazement and decided she had to explain why her attitude was so different from what he expected.

"Blaine, my dear, there was someone I cared about _a great _deal when I was a girl. He was my best friend through college and I rather hoped we might one day marry, but he eventually confessed to me why that could never happen. I still loved him when he admitted to me that he was gay, and I still love him to this day. You would probably never guess that this proper old woman was his hag, would you, dear?"

"Thank god, he and his partner managed to evade the AIDS and HIV epidemic that ravaged New York, years ago. He and his darling Adam have been together now for over thirty five years. They actually just got engaged, now that they _can_ marry in New York, and he's asked me to be his groomsmaid. It will be a very small private ceremony with just their closest friends, of course, but isn't it wonderful how things have turned out?"

Blaine sat in complete astonishment at his grandmother's words, seeing a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. She was quite aware of how much she had staggered him.

"I never thought you gave a damn about me." He said softly, his watering eyes and quivering voice breaking her heart.

"Oh goodness, no my dear. I've always had a soft spot for you and Cooper. You know, you both inherited your talent from your grandfather, Blaine? God knows, it missed your father by a country mile. Your parents always felt that it would be better to encourage practical skills, instead of the arts, but Grandpa managed to do both and I have no doubt you can too.

I'm afraid your parents and I have seldom seen eye to eye on anything, so their visits have always been rather sporadic. They can't set me adrift and dump me altogether though, because I'm still on the Board of Directors." Nana chuckled as she took Blaine's hand and then got serious again.

"Blaine dear, do youeven_ want_ to go home? I can certainly talk some sense into your father, and your mother will, of course, do whatever he says. But I don't want you to live in a toxic environment, particularly if you don't want to be there. Perhaps you would like to come and live with me in New York instead? I know that you really loved being at Dalton, so I could help you spend your remaining high school year there and then, maybe you could come to me when you go to university?

"Think about it and tell me what you would like to do and we'll take care of it. Just remember, I love you, Binky. We haven't _all _turned our backs on you. I'm quite sure your parents love you too, dear. It's just been a lifelong habit to let others think for them, instead of making their own decisions. I may unfortunately be partly responsible for that." She shrugged, before she engulfed Blaine in another warm hug and stood, finding the Hummel family watching them in fascination.

"I would like to thank you for your kindness to Blaine. I _very_ much appreciate it. Would you accept a small token in return for any expenses you might have incurred?" His grandmother opened her purse and took out a cheque already signed and certified for ten thousand dollars, Blaine could see. He was overwhelmed with the realization that he hadn't lost everyone in his family and had to hold his grandmother again, as he dissolved into tears. She held him and patted his back comfortingly.

Kurt got some tissues and approached shyly with them, hearing Blaine sniffing when his nose started to run. Blaine suddenly released his grandmother and turned to clutch Kurt instead. Kurt held him tight, rocking him gently to help him cope with the overflowing emotions he was dealing with. Mrs. Anderson saw how the boys held each other, with the same devotion she had seen in Timothy and Adam and realized that Kurt was very special to Blaine. She also began to understand Burt's generosity much better. She dropped the cheque unnoticed on the coffee table, in case the Hummels proved resistant to taking it, as everyone was still watching the boys.

Blaine gathered himself a few minutes later and mopped up the teary mess he had turned into. "I'm sorry Nana, you just kind of blew me away." He said to his grandmother, making her chuckle. He smiled back and pulled Kurt against him with a fond glance.

"Nana, I would very much like to introduce you to Kurt Hummel, my boyfriend. Meeting him and his whole family is the good part of this whole disaster. Carole Hummel here, is Burt's wife and Finn Hudson, is her son and Burt's step son. Kurt's mom died when he was eight." Blaine finished introducing his adoptive family.

"I'm very pleased to meet you all, I'm sure. I shall leave you now and let you finish your dinner. I apologize for disturbing you but I could _not _let Blaine think his family didn't want him for one moment longer."

"I happen to know that your father is distraught at losing you, Blaine, but Helena has him convinced that he can reform you or something ridiculous by using 'tough love'. She loves you too honey, but she has mush for brains, if she thinks that will make any difference to your orientation. Regardless of your decision about moving home, I _will_ speak to them privately and educate them on the realities. I believe that they will change their minds and come to learn they made a grave error, so think about whether you are willing to forgive _them_."

"Please_, call _me, Blaine. I don't want to lose touch with you. Your parents have kept you away for quite long enough, by always being so reluctant to visit. I think that is my fault too, since I never kept it secret how I felt about your mother. I have some bridges to mend too, with all of your family. I really don't want to be a lonely old woman. Good night then everyone. It's a long drive home, so I will be on my way now."

Blaine saw that, somewhere along the line, she had subtly removed the cheque from her purse and left it on the coffee table, when he glanced down. She shook her head at him, letting him know not to point it out. He walked with her to the door and hugged her goodbye again, closing the door softly when she had left.

He couldn't help the enormous smile on his face when he turned around after he closed it behind her, shared by everyone else in the room.

Burt deposited Mrs. Anderson's check in an account he opened for Blaine the next day, to be used when he started school again. The money he insisted on paying for the room he lived in was earmarked to go into it too.

Finally, relative peace descended on the Hummel family, now consisting of three seventeen-year-old teenagers, two of whom were dating each other, and two parents. Blaine continued to live over Hummel Tire, and eat his meals and spend a great deal of time with the Hummel family, especially Kurt. He and Kurt applied for their Dalton scholarships, and waited apprehensively to hear back about them.

Blaine kept in regular phone and email contact with his grandmother and encouraged her to re-establish a relationship with Cooper too. He asked her to consider reinstating his brother's access to his trust account so he could stop mooching on all his friends. He also casually mentioned that she might want to remember that keeping Coop in the family was probably advisable if she ever wanted great grandchildren, if that might possibly have some effect on her decision.

Blaine and Kurt were dating officially now, going out on the weekends for dinner and to see movies or the zoo or just shopping together. Burt wondered if his advice about waiting to start a physical relationship was being ignored as he watched Kurt and Blaine sharing their secret smiles, that weren't a secret at all.

Burt understood that once it started, there was very little he could do to stop the avalanche of emotional and sexual feelings the two boys shared. They believed they were in love and, who knows, they might actually_ be_ in love. Kurt returned from their dates with dopey smiles, and occasional hickeys, so freaking happy that he just couldn't rain on his parade, no matter what they were up to.

Actually, Kurt and Blaine really tried to take Burt's advice to heart, believing that he was probably right, and they should get to know each other better first. They tried to keep it platonic, but it seemed like they simply couldn't resist each other. As soon as they started to touch each other they were done for. It was only the lack of opportunity that kept them from exploring as much as they would have liked to. They weren't allowed to go to Blaine's room at all or to Kurt's room, when his parent's weren't home and neither was comfortable doing anything much more than kiss, while his parents _were _home.

Kurt's Navigator truck was simply too uncomfortable to do much with that ginormous console effectively creating a wall between them. They both eyed the back seat, spacious enough for doing much more, but where could they park where they were assured they wouldn't be interrupted? It didn't get dark until 9:00 o'clock this time of year, and the dusk lasted another hour after that.

They both knew the police checked the area around the shop at night and being spotlighted by a cop with a flashlight while they were making out was a scene they both wanted to avoid. Kurt considered parking the truck _inside_ Hummel Tire's shop, but then gave up the idea, knowing his father would be very disappointed in him if he found out about it, and he probably would, somehow. They had to be content with just kissing each other goodnight for now in the Hummel Tire lot, when Kurt dropped Blaine off after their dates. Not being able to do any more made them feel like they were starving all the time, though.

It was nearly two weeks later before a very well dressed business man entered the shop looking extremely uncomfortable to be there. Burt craned out the window and saw a black Porsche parked in the lot that had to be the man's car. He took in the dark hair and amber eyes and guessed who it was as the man looked from one face to another trying to decide who he should talk to. He picked Zeke.

Burt saw Zeke direct him toward the front desk area, where Burt was working on ordering the fall inventory of snow tires and all-seasons. Burt had assigned Blaine and Finn to paint the shop during slow times and today they were working at the back of the building, out of sight of passers-by and Mr. Anderson.

He wasn't mistaken with his guess. "Hello, are you Burt Hummel?" the man asked, sounding less self-assured than Burt expected him to. For someone in charge of a corporation he expected more confidence, although this situation was surely way out of the man's comfort zone, Burt assumed.

"Yep, that's me. I guess you must be Blaine's father." Burt stood and offered him a hand to shake. If the man had come here looking for him, Burt decided to meet him halfway and listen to what he said, though his anger at him was still simmering not far below the surface. Blaine had become very near and dear to him already and just knowing this man had ejected a helpless boy out into the street simply because he told his friends he was gay…well, Burt was a tolerant man, but kids and animals being mistreated made him want to slap some sense into him.

"Yes. I'm Bernard Anderson. I understand that Blaine has been living with you, since…he left home." The pause in his sentence made Burt hopeful that the man felt some shame for what he had done. That was good. Possibly there was hope for him yet.

"Since you told him he had to leave, you mean…with _nothing_. No money, no friends, no shelter…nothing!" Burt corrected him bitterly, unable to hold his peace, in spite of his best intentions. "Did you know I found him in the park, playing his guitar and singing for money to buy food? That he must have _done_ that for days, because he smelled like had been living in those clothes since he left your house? I let him earn a few bucks here and then brought him home to feed him supper. He was _starving_! Not your typical teenaged boy, haven't-eaten-in-five-hours starving, but haven't-eaten-decently-in-_days _starving. What the hell were you thinking? Where did you think he would go?"

Burt could tell he was getting riled up. He took a calming breath, trying not to let his blood pressure get out of hand. Anderson was looking cowed and ashamed, not responding at all to Burt's comments. The guys in the shop had all stopped working and were staring at Burt in shock. They'd seldom heard him yell at anyone.

Kurt heard his father's voice being raised, the words unclear, but the emotion was clear enough; his dad was incredibly pissed off at _somebody_. He emerged from the back office and peeked into the front reception area and saw a dark haired man dressed in a thousand dollar Hugo Boss, his head hanging in shame at Burt's tirade…oh… That _had_ to be Blaine's father.

Kurt entered the shop area, knowing he had to calm his father down, before his heart suffered any ill effects from the strain. The man glanced at Kurt, his eyes taking in the boy dressed in another fabulous outfit, with his tight pants, expensive pointed shoes, and bow tie, the entire outfit screaming "I'm gay, and proud of it".

"Hey Dad…you've got to calm down. You know you shouldn't get excited." Kurt said soothingly, his hand on his father's arm. He ruined the effect when he glared back belligerently at the man who had thrown Blaine out of his house, with exactly the same expression his father had recently worn on his face.

"Yeah, I know Kurt. I'm better, now that I got it off my chest. This is Blaine's father, Kurt. And this is _my_ son, Mr. Anderson." Burt put his arm around Kurt's shoulders, to show his love and support. Kurt looked up and smiled at him, understanding exactly what Burt was saying. _This_ is how you should treat your son.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Kurt. My mother told me about how much you're family helped Blaine, when I let him down. I can't tell you how grateful I am that you stepped in and gave him a safe place to live. I know I was wrong, but I truly expected him to come home again and do as I asked. I've already lost my oldest son and now I've messed everything up with him too. I put what strangers thought of my son, before how I felt. I _do_ love my son, Burt. I never wanted him to be in any danger."

"I just…His life is always going to be harder, now, than I wanted it to be. I wanted _everything_ for Blaine, Burt. I wanted him to take over the family business, get married and have the grandkids we were hoping for. Instead, I took everything I could away from him."

"He can still _have_ all those things, Bernard. Being gay doesn't mean he can't take over the company, get married and have kids one day. Love is love, they say. Times are changing. Too slowly, but they _are_ changing. Support your son, Bernard. _Demand_ his rights… treat him like he deserves everything you have and more. He's a wonderful boy. You should be very proud of him. Just as proud as I am of _my_ son."

Kurt couldn't help feeling a rush of pride, listening to his father and wished every gay…and yes, every straight boy could have someone like his father in his corner. Mr. Anderson nodded, considering Burt's words. Blaine married, with kids? Well, why not? Ohio might take longer than some states, but hopefully they would all get marriage equality eventually.

"Kurt, can you go out back and ask Blaine to come in here? His father would like to talk to him." Kurt nodded and went out through the shop to look for him.

"Have you _never_ had any problems accepting your son? Was it always this easy for you?" Bernard asked Burt once he was gone, hoping for some insight.

"Sure, I've had lots of problems with it. I'd like him to have an easier time of it too, but the situation _is_ what it is. _He_ has no choice but to deal with it and neither do I. He's an amazing kid and I couldn't ask for a better son, so we're working it out as we go along."

"Um…he and Blaine are sort of…ah, dating each other, you might be interested to know. I don't mind telling you_ that_ is giving me some trouble to accept, but Blaine is a good kid, so I'm grateful for that much. Kurt's never dated anyone before this." Burt shrugged as he confessed to Blaine's father, his difficulty in accepting that his son was growing up and starting to explore his sexuality.

Bernard's face showed his discomfort with the idea that _his_ son was dating Burt's son, but at least he had a chance to digest the idea before Blaine returned, with his face and coveralls liberally splattered in white paint, wiping his painty hands on a rag. Kurt was following right behind him, concerned about Blaine confronting his father. He had a telltale smear of white paint on his cheek that had somehow gotten there since he had gone out back.

"Hi Dad. Kurt said you wanted to talk to me?" Blaine said, sounding calm. He wasn't sure that he wanted to ever return to his family, now that he had found acceptance with the Hummels, so what his father had to say to him really wasn't all that important. Knowing that fact, made it much easier for him to sound unconcerned.

Then he remembered their last encounter and suddenly his equanimity dissolved. He glanced back to Kurt who gave him an encouraging smile and held his arm, though carefully, to avoid getting paint on his clothes. He had hugged Blaine before he went out front and assured him he would support him, but it hadn't been easy, considering he had to ensure his clothing stayed well away from the mess Blaine had all over him.

"Hello Blaine. I came here to apologize to you for my behavior. It's not an excuse, but I was so shocked to learn that you were comfortable enough to tell all your friends at school when we still had no clue you were gay. I'm sorry I was more worried about my business and social relationships than about ours. Do you think you might ever be able to forgive me? Your mother and I would like to ask you to come back home. It's like a tomb around there without you. I promise to do my best to learn how we can stay a family."

Blaine could feel warmth flooding him in reaction to his father's words, but it didn't yet reach all the way to the frozen spot his father had put in his soul. It wasn't gratitude for his apology at all, though, or his admitting he'd been wrong. It was his acknowledgement that he deserved some respect. Blaine knew he wasn't ready yet to run right back into his parent's home just because his father admitted that he had behaved badly.

"Dad, this isn't _just _about what happened when you found out I told people I was gay. A lot of what you were so mad about, was because I did something _you_ didn't agree with. You've _never_ been willing to listen to what Cooper or I wanted. You've always just made decisions and expected us to say "yes, sir" and deal with it. If you want us to be our own men, then you have to be willing to hear what we have to say and maybe compromise about some things."

"Cooper took off because he knew there was _no_ chance you would let him do what his heart told him he had to. If you had given him a chance to explore acting, he might have decided by now that it wasn't what he wanted, but now he's committed, with no other choice left to him. You don't need to keep the leash so freaking tight."

"I love to perform Dad, but I like the idea of becoming a lawyer too, and working to help build something my family built from the ground up. I just don't want to have it jammed down my throat! Can't I have both? You and Mom have never come to see the Warblers perform, but they all tell me I'm pretty good, Dad. I'd like to see how far I can take it. There will always be law school waiting for later.

"There's one other thing we need to talk about, Dad. I've found a home here, with the Hummels, where they _all_ treat each other with respect…and I found Kurt." Blaine smiled fondly at his boyfriend who smiled back lovingly, taking his hand proudly, regardless of the paint smears. "He's _so_ special. I think I might be falling in love with him. Can you deal with that, Dad? With me wanting to date Kurt, and maybe one day sharing my life with him? Because that is going to be a deal-breaker. If you can't accept my boyfriend, then I can't accept your apology." Blaine shrugged offhandedly and stared his father proudly in the eyes, calmly waiting for his reaction.

Burt put his hand on Blaine's shoulder in support, so freaking proud of him, he felt tears welling.

When Blaine gave his father an ultimatum, he surprised Bernard immensely. He had expected his son to gratefully return home as soon as he gave him permission. The fact that he was in no rush to do so came as rather a shock. He seemed speechless, with surprise. Blaine took pity on him, thinking he might need some time to discuss it with his mother.

"How would you like to think about it and maybe Kurt and I could come for supper Sunday night? I'd like to talk to Mother and find out if she is willing to make some changes too. We'll talk Sunday, and I'll think about things and decide what I want to do." Blaine suggested confidently.

His father nodded silently, agreeing to Blaine's proposal. He looked to Kurt with a small smile. "I guess I'll be getting to know you better, Kurt. I look forward to seeing you both then on Sunday. Thank you again, Burt. Goodbye." He shook Burt's hand and left to return to his wife and tell her that they might have to earn Blaine's trust and respect before they got him back.


	11. Chapter 11 Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**A/N: Thank you for coming on this journey with me. I love a happy ending, don't you? Here you are, then. Enjoy and see you for the next one. **

* * *

Dinner at the Anderson home Sunday night was incredibly intimidating for Kurt, knowing how Blaine's parents felt about people like him, starting with when they drove up to the enormous house Blaine had grown up in. Holy smokes, Blaine had grown up in that pile? Dinner was more than a little uncomfortable, especially at the beginning when no one knew what to say, but somehow they all got through it.

Blaine went straight to his father's comfort zone, and asked him how things were going with the company. His dad told him a bit about his plans for expansion with a couple new stores in the east, seeming surprised that Blaine was interested. Kurt hesitatingly asked some questions about what type of market they were catering to, which started a conversation about future opportunities to be explored.

Blaine's mother was very quiet all night, her conversation consisting mostly of asking if they liked the food or wanted anything, but she was watching her son closely. He seemed so changed from the silent, withdrawn, resentful boy she remembered. He had already smiled more tonight than she'd seen him do in the last six months, though it was mostly at his boyfriend.

She couldn't help noticing the shy loving looks shared between the boys, with her son so obviously head over heels in love with the boy sitting next to him. She decided to pray about it and hopefully she could come to peace with her son loving another man. She found herself smiling when she saw they were holding hands under the table. They seemed so sweet together.

Perhaps it was because he had been living in a safe place of his own where he was accepted, but Blaine felt relaxed and confident that night, finally seeing his parents from a whole new vantage point. His father was likely so insecure from his Nana making him feel inadequate, since she plainly felt his dad was a far call from his grandfather. His mother had always been left out of the loop, and he knew she had never felt like she had been accepted by their family and the people they socialized with.

It was baby steps, at first, over the next few weeks. Burt made sure he was there for him when he needed advice. When Blaine asked Burt how he always knew what to do, he recommended some counselling to help their family be less dysfunctional. He admitted it hadn't always been easy for Kurt and him either, but they had always been able to talk, and _that_ was the key to figuring stuff out.

Blaine and Kurt took that advice to heart, and so they talked about their plans for the future, for that day, the month, the year and the next ten years. Kurt encouraged him to _really _try to reconnect with his family emotionally. Kurt's family meant so much to him that he wanted Blaine to find that with his own parents.

Blaine finally decided that he would bite the bullet and move back to his parent's house when school started back again, on the condition that he and his parents would go to a family counsellor to learn how they could all relate to each other better. Already he could tell his father was taking time to think before he made pronouncements, and his carefully phrasing them as requests instead of orders made a big difference. "Could you please take out the garbage." sounded a ton better than "You're not going anywhere until the garbage is at the curb."

Blaine had to bite his own lip at first, struggling with having to obey house rules and curfews again after being on his own all summer. They tackled that issue at one of their first counsellor's appointments and his dad finally untied some of the chains, since he'd certainly proved he could be responsible. His father willingly admitted Blaine was a far different person than the entitled brat he'd been, before he had learned what really mattered in life.

It was hard to be so far away from his boyfriend, when Blaine was used to seeing him each and every day, but he told himself that it was only one year until he graduated from Dalton and left his parent's house forever. This was his last chance to try to learn to be a family with his parents before he wasn't their boy anymore and at least he and Kurt saw each other at Dalton every day. His and Kurt's future could unfold together after that, wherever it took them.

~ o _ o ~

Over the summer, Blaine had become friends with most of Kurt and Finn's friends, who were mostly the Glee club kids. He introduced his Warbler friends to them, and he and Kurt both wondered what would happen if Brittany and Jeff ended up together, two stereotype blondes, but they didn't date each other very long. Brit started dating Santana instead, which kind of took everyone by surprise. Jeff and Quinn seemed a more successful couple since Jeff actually hid his Mensa IQ rather well and Quinn was quietly thoughtful and brilliant.

On the other hand, James and Mercedes resisted being lumped together because they were both black, but gradually they found more and more in common. By the end of the summer, they gave up resisting and were an item too. Wes asked Tina out, but she was more interested in the other Asian, since she had been quietly in love with Mike for ages, before he finally noticed her when somebody _else _was paying her some attention.

There was one big pool party in August at Blaine's house with both crowds of their friends there that resulted in lots of laughter, dancing and music. Somebody was always breaking into song and dance, somewhere. Blaine's mother stood in her upstairs window and smiled down at the kids her boys considered friends, and wondered where they'd learned their accepting attitudes.

It seemed to her that nobody cared that Blaine and Kurt were together, treating them like any other couple in the gang. She watched Blaine casually drop a kiss on Kurt's cheek when he brought him a drink, and Kurt whisper in his boyfriend's ear while he rubbed sunblock on him. Blaine laughed and turned back to wink at Kurt, with a broad grin. Then they stood, Blaine with Kurt's arms lovingly wrapped around him, while they watched Finn cook burgers. Finn laughingly threatened his brother with the spatula, and Blaine dodged it, protecting Kurt. She wished she'd had friends like those, when she was younger. Maybe she wouldn't be so lonely now.

Everyone around them could see Kurt and Blaine were falling more and more in love, with every moment they spent together. They glowed with happiness when they looked at each other, and that was the most critical thing to Burt. Blaine treated his boyfriend like he couldn't believe Kurt was actually real, making his kid happier than he'd ever seen him. Burt knew he had already lost his little boy forever, and now his heart was Blaine's.

It was that observation that was instrumental in helping him come to terms with one of the most difficult decisions he'd ever had to make. Burt had often been sleepless at the thought that his boys might be caught making out in the truck by some homophobic assholes, so he finally sat them down and told them Kurt could spend time alone with his boyfriend, at Blaine's place. At least he knew they loved and respected each other and what more could you ask, for your son's first lover?

Kurt knew he had the best father in the world, the day he agreed to let him have some private time with Blaine, the tears slipping unheeded down his face when he hugged him. So now they were allowed to go hang out in Blaine's loft, as long as it wasn't during business hours and Kurt was home by his curfew.

Burt laid down some ground rules for them, before he gave them his blessing. He gave them a couple of informative books he'd ordered on the internet and some pamphlets on safe gay sex. His final gift was a whole case of condoms which made Kurt and Blaine stare goggle eyed with embarrassment, but Burt wasn't going to evade an uncomfortable subject, when it came to his son. They sheepishly agreed to use protection, and not rush into anything, before they escaped his lecture.

They talked about that too, discussing what they were ready for emotionally, listening to soft music in background music in Blaine's loft. They mutually decided they were going to _try_ to save the last barrier to sexual intimacy for after graduation, when they were officially adults, but that left a whole lot of other awesome things to try out. Once they had the opportunity and the privacy, kissing quickly turned into caresses, which turned into revealing more skin, which inevitably turned into much, _much_ more.

The idiot smiles on their faces couldn't be pried off, for the first couple of weeks, no matter how annoying Puck and Finn were when they teased them. They both knew it was mostly jealousy, since neither of them had anyone of their own to love.

~ o _ o ~

It was only a week and a half before school started back that Kurt finally got an envelope in the mail, with the Dalton crest on it. Carole held it up to the light when it came, but the heavy watermarked paper was too heavy to read the contents. It almost killed her to have to wait until the men came home for supper.

Kurt's family and Blaine stood around Kurt, vibrating with excitement while he opened it, his hands shaking so hard with nerves he almost dropped it. His voice shook as he read to his parents that he was accepted for the next school year, with nearly a full scholarship to Dalton Academy! He whooped in happiness as Blaine held him so tight he could hardly breathe, and then swung him around.

His family all cheered and hugged each other excitedly, knowing how much a diploma from an exclusive prep school and the contacts from Dalton could do for his plans to go on to a fashion school or a drama and performance school. Blaine's acceptance letter the next day was anticlimactic, with the scholarship application void, now that he was moving back home.

~ o _ o ~

_Ten months later…_

Kurt raced into his dorm room, striped off the blazer and dress shirt and hopped around the room trying to take off his trousers. The outfit he had chosen last night was waiting on the bed for him to don it and then meet Blaine. A boy with black hair and a charming smile stuck his head in the door. "Come on Hummel, move your sweet little ass. The bus is leaving in ten minutes." Kurt laughed at Nick's teasing, but he moved his sweet little ass faster, though he knew they were going nowhere without him.

He couldn't believe how his life had changed since last year. He'd gone from detesting Monday mornings when he had to go back to school, wary of every passing jock, to enjoying every minute of his life here at Dalton. He dearly loved his boyfriend, easily the sexiest boy in the world. He had loads of friends, who appreciated his unusual voice, since he filled out the chords in the Warbler's acapella choir so beautifully. They had won their Sectionals and Regionals competitions, beating New Directions and now the bus was about to leave for the Finals. They treated him like a star here at the Dalton Academy, he _and _his boyfriend, who still got a lot of the solos, though he had to fight Kurt for every one of them.

The Warblers made a last minute pitch to Mike, with a possible scholarship offer to him too, if he would give them a hand with their choreography, but now that he was with Tina, he politely declined. He preferred the freedom he had at McKinley over the homogenous rows of blazers he would have had to work with at Dalton anyway. He gave in and showed Kurt and Blaine a couple of moves that might have been incorporated into a few numbers for Finals, though they had to promise not to tell anyone at McKinley.

The moves worked, or at least those, their hard work, their beautiful harmonies, their teamwork and their energy and enthusiasm worked to win them Show Choir Finals. They brought back the obnoxiously kitschy trophy to Dalton to be proudly displayed in the front foyer with a large print of the Warblers immortalized above it, as a tribute that would endure for decades. Kurt, Blaine and Nick, the soloists featured in the completion, each proudly wore their individual gold medals on ribbons in the front row.

~ o _ o ~

_Nine years later…_

Burt sat back in a chair, watching the kids build a fort under the dining table and reflected how grateful he was that he had invited the scruffy-looking boy from the park to come to work for him that day, long ago.

It had been a given that the boys would move to New York to go to University, and with an application coming from Dalton, they had been accepted at both their first and second choices.

After due consideration, Blaine opted for a business degree, and Kurt took Fashion Design. They both auditioned for small off-Broadway parts and volunteered for background stuff, at least until they finished school. They met tons of performers through Rachel, while she attended NYADA. The apartment the boys shared was usually bursting with friends, music and happiness.

They always went home to Ohio to visit their families for holidays and Christmas, and when Cooper got engaged, were thrilled to learn his parents invited the couple home to meet his fiancé. When they arrived, Cooper's parents asked him to be a part of their lives again and surprised him by restoring his access to his trust fund.

Blaine and Kurt exchanged rings in their second year of school, though they decided not to marry until after Blaine graduated. Kurt was working very closely on group projects with other people in his class, and Blaine jealously wanted to mark him as officially his. Kurt let him, since he figured he was Blaine's forever anyway, heart and soul. Blaine tried to convince him to elope to an island somewhere but Kurt won that battle, of course, since he'd been planning the wedding for years already.

Blaine talked his father into expanding Anderson Furnishings in New York City, in partnership with his fiancé. The contacts they had made in New York, through Blaine's grandmother and in several wealthy Dalton families made Kurt's and Blaine's new subsidiary called _**Andel's Heart of the Home**_ an instant success, breathing vibrant new life into the rather stale line of traditional furnishings. Kurt encouraged Blaine's mother Helena's natural talent for design and the two of them developed her ideas into an original wonderful sideline called _**Helena's Home. **_

After that, Helena and Kurt became business partners and she and Kurt opened their own design shop in the fashion district, offering one-of-a-kind clothing, object d'art and home fashions she either found or helped him design. Having their own businesses made it much easier for the boys to take time off to perform on the side, doing what they loved.

A play they performed in, featuring a children's choir evolved into another project, with the two of them trying to develop an acapella children's choir. They both decided they loved working with the kids, though the project was rather short lived, since the kids were four times the hassle that adults were, with their parents always thinking _their _kid should have had the lead and squawking about where Janey or Ethan stood.

They were stuck between a rock and a hard place, since they knew they had to keep the parents on scene. The simple fact that they were gay made them more susceptible to accusations of abuse, and they weren't going to risk any bad situations. They turned it over to a music connection instead, a motherly looking woman with the soul of a parade sergeant. She quickly banished the parents to an off stage room with a closed circuit feed to watch their kids on. Brilliant!

Blaine and Kurt had been married for five years, before they decided they were ready to start their family. They had a surrogate bear the child with a mixture of both their sperm. The boy, named Marc, proved to be obviously Blaine's with that head full of black curls and his enormous brown eyes. He was just over two when they had their second child, Evelyn, named after Blaine's beloved grandmother, who had recently passed away at the age of eighty eight. The little girl was Blaine's darling, with a reflection of Kurt's blue eyes looking back at him, though her hair was more blonde than her daddy's.

When they all went home for Christmas and holidays to Ohio, the children played with Cooper's and Dinah's three kids and made everybody half deaf with the shrieks of laughter as they chased each other around the enormous house. It wasn't just the kids running around either; their grandparents were almost as bad as the kids. What a change from the atmosphere Blaine had grown up with!

It was such a battle for the first two years deciding who got to spend Christmas with the grandkids that they all eventually started spending Christmas together at the spacious Anderson's home with the Hummels joining them there too, with Finn and Rachel coming along with their son Berton, when they could. Carole and Helena had become close when the grandkids came along, and they were in the kitchen now, chatting over a bottle of wine.

Burt knew he had been right to think he was the luckiest man in the world when he and Elizabeth had looked proudly into the depths of his newborn baby boy's eyes. He remembered wondering who he would grow up to be, imagining all sorts of things for him. None of them were even close to what actually happened, but he was even more proud of him now, as he watched him kiss his husband and send him out with a pat on the bum, to collect the toys, clothes and blankies that were distributed all over the house, beginning the process of packing up to go home again.

Burt loved them all, but holy smokes it was so blessedly peaceful when they left again.


End file.
